Deandre Ayton has a chance to assist the Los Angeles Lakers win an NBA Championship.
Regardless of having the dynamic duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles Lakers confronted a first-round exit within the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Consequently, the Lakers have made a number of upgrades to their roster this offseason. The most important identify to affix the Purple and Gold is none aside from Deandre Ayton.
Ayton’s addition may bolster the Lakers’ championship ambitions, however it could require the previous No. 1 total choose to function in a specific means.
Final season, Ayton averaged 14.4 factors, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per recreation for the Portland Path Blazers. Whereas these numbers had been strong, Ayton nonetheless must do higher.
Not less than, that’s what Lakers legend Mychal Thompson mentioned throughout a latest episode of Hoops Discuss with Allen Silwa.
“It comes all the way down to Deandre Ayton and the way unhealthy he needs it. If he needs to be an All-Star caliber middle, he won’t make the All-Star crew, but when he needs to play at that degree, the Lakers can be a critical menace to beat the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder subsequent yr,” Thompson mentioned.
He added: “But when he is available in and places up 12 and eight, 13 and eight, no, that’s not adequate. If Deandre needs to take up his recreation to twenty factors, 12 rebounds a recreation kind of middle, the Lakers may contend for a championship.”
For the Lakers, nearly all of the scoring burden can be carried by James and Doncic. Nevertheless, Thompson needs Ayton to be the third star on most nights, and that too, on each ends of the ground.
When Ayton entered the league, he was touted as the subsequent Shaquille O’Neal. Nevertheless, O’Neal didn’t need Ayton to comply with in his footsteps.
Contemplating Ayton has already performed in seven NBA seasons, followers and media alike now have a a lot better thought concerning the 27-year-old’s ceiling.
Talking of which, Thompson believes that Ayton, at his finest, is a mix of David Robinson and Robert Parish.
“He’s a mix David Robinson and Robert Parish. He can do all of it. He can block photographs. He won’t be nearly as good as these two, clearly,” Thompson continued.
“… However he has these sorts of abilities on offense and protection. He’s bought to get that Kevin Garnett-type motor,” Thompson added.
In conclusion, Thompson has excessive hopes for Ayton, however he needs the Lakers middle to indicate up with a much-improved work ethic in the course of the 2025-26 NBA season.
