On Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers secured their 12th win of the 2025-26 NBA season, putting the team in elite company, with only the Oklahoma City Thunder (17-1) and Detroit Pistons (15-2) having better records.
Although the Lakers were able to come out on top against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Sunday, marking the squad’s fourth straight win, it came at a cost, with Deandre Ayton playing only 13 minutes before being ruled out for the remainder of the contest.
Lakers Get Crucial Update on Deandre Ayton’s Status
Ayton is reportedly dealing with a right knee contusion, which is obviously concerning for a player with his kind of injury history.
As a result of the injury, he won’t be taking the floor for Tuesday’s NBA Cup matchup against the crosstown rival Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena, as he has been ruled out, according to NBA reporter Jovan Buha.
Deandre Ayton (right knee contusion) is out tomorrow vs. the Clippers.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) November 25, 2025
Ayton signed with the Lakers over the summer after agreeing to a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers. The veteran big man addressed a significant need for Los Angeles, as one of the team’s top priorities was upgrading the frontcourt.
Although it was a risk, considering Ayton hasn’t lived up to being a No. 1 overall pick and has dealt with several injuries throughout his NBA career, the move has already started to pay off. The Arizona product has played better than expected with his new team, striking up immediate chemistry with superstar guard Luka Dončić.
The 27-year-old has played in 15 games thus far for the Lakers, averaging 15.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, shooting 69.6% from the field, which is currently a career-high for the center.
As of now, it is uncertain how much time Ayton will miss due to the knee issue. In his absence, the Lakers will likely lean heavily on Jaxson Hayes, Maxi Kleber, and newcomer Drew Timme. The Clippers will be without three players — Bradley Beal, Derrick Jones Jr., and Jordan Miller — while Bogdan Bogdanovic is questionable.
On Monday, the Lakers signed Timme to a two-way contract, and in a corresponding move, parted ways with center Christian Koloko to open a roster spot.
It’ll be interesting to see what kind of role Timme plays, especially if Ayton misses a considerable amount of time due to the knee injury. Timme played six games with the G League affiliate South Bay Lakers before getting the nod from the parent club on Monday.
