Deandre Ayton went overboard with his remarks in the Lakers’ locker room following Los Angeles’ 113-110 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Things continue to fall short of expectations for the Western Conference squad, as inconsistency once again defined their performance on the court.
It is also worth noting that the Lakers were competitive throughout the contest. In fact, it was Royce O’Neale who sealed the victory for Phoenix with a decisive three-pointer, a play that arguably deserved the spotlight. Yet in one of those unusual twists in sports, the attention shifted instead to Ayton and his night.
Deandre Ayton was a ghost against his former team
Deandre Ayton was, quite literally, a ghost on the hardwood in the Lakers’ second consecutive defeat. Expectations were high for Ayton facing his former team, but fans were left wanting much more from the big man.
After a very poor outing, Ayton was swiftly targeted by social media users, who wasted no time calling out his lackluster display.
Deandre Ayton said the Los Angeles Lakers were trying make him Clint Capela, and in his first game following those comments, he ended up playing more like Kwame Brown.”…”referencing the former No.1 pick and LA big man who severely underachieved during his NBA career.
Chris Walder of Odds Shark wrote on X.
To make matters clear, the comparison to Capela was underscored by these numbers:
- 4 points
- 6 rebounds
- 3 assists
- 4 blocks
- 17 minutes on the court
On everything I love Deandre Ayton would literally be delivering my doordash if He wasn’t 7 foot tall,” @BeenHim16 proclaimed.
“The Deandre Ayton signing is going exactly how the haters said it would go.”
@jeff_on_sports commented.
Finally earned the #1 pick for the Suns.
@The_MilesFiles quipped.
Their best player tonight.
Although Ayton has not endured entirely negative stretches during his tenure with the Lakers, this performance opened the floodgates to criticism.
- 21 points
- 13 rebounds against the Orlando Magic
Meanwhile, in his first season, his statistics were:
- 13.2 points per game
- 8.5 rebounds
- 49 games played
However, for many fans, his stint in Los Angeles has failed to inspire confidence. With each passing game, frustration appears to grow among supporters who expect far more from a player once selected first overall. The scrutiny is amplified by the team’s broader struggles, as the Lakers search for stability in a campaign marked by uneven results and mounting pressure.
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