When the Los Angeles Lakers traded Dorian Finney Smith at the end of December last year, the team got more than a typical 3D player. They also add a necessary element to the locker room—a person who can accept criticism, resolve the situation with a silly word, and can urge others to laugh at themselves.
With Finney Smith reaching an agreement with the Rockets when free agents open, the Lakers lose more than just their defensive vanguards. They also lost the cultural cornerstone of the locker room—the kind of players who can make the workplace more enjoyable.
However, all the good atmosphere in the world can't help the Lakers grab rebounds against the Timberwolves in the playoffs. Culture doesn't score inside. It cannot stand between the rim and Rudy Gobert. It cannot catch the aerial relay from Luca Doncic.
DeAndre-Aiton can do all of these things. And that's why the Lakers are excited to have him. The reason why the Lakers want to work with the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft is obvious. Every year of his NBA career, he averaged at least 14 points and 10 rebounds per game. He has played side by side with Chris Paul, one of the league's pick-and-roll masters, to cover him and complete the aerial relay in the NBA Finals. He is 7 feet tall and weighs 250 pounds, but he is not heavy-handed - he is an agile player with a giant body.
Aiton's prospects as a rookie were bright enough that the Suns were protected from the criticism the Kings had been suffering from since they missed Doncic in the 2018 draft (the Lakers could do a funny thing, which was to sign Marvin Bagley III in free agency to gather the top three picks of the year).
league sources revealed that Ayton's role in the 2021 Suns and his success are one of the reasons Doncic is eager to join forces with him. The two also signed up for the same agency, WME led by Bill Duffy, and were preparing in the same hotel room before the 2018 draft.
From paper, Ayton makes the Lakers even better. He is the kind of talented player who can persuade LeBron James to believe that the Lakers are really going to compete for the championship, and the kind of weapon that makes Doncic excited about the partnership.
But basketball is not a sport on paper, it focuses on 48 minutes on the court after spending hours in training halls, physiotherapy beds, on planes and video analysis sessions. The best teams can play great on the court because they make fewer mistakes off the court.
With this in mind, it is reasonable to recall how the Lakers initially recruited Ayton.
Entering this offseason, the Lakers have somehow achieved these two points at the same time as improving last year's lineup and maintaining enough flexibility to create the best team for Doncic's future. Of course, this is achieved because the Trail Blazers chose to pay Ayton about $26 million to play for his opponent (and for a team its fans hate). The reason Ayton was originally with the Trail Blazers was because the Suns also didn't want him to be part of their plan and were happy to trade him for Yusuf Nurkic. After Ayton was bought out by the Trail Blazers, The Athletic reporter Jason Quick described in detail the various problems of Ayton's failure to meet the Trail Blazers standards. And in Los Angeles, the spotlight will be brighter and the risks will be higher.
However, although timing does not mean everything, it is not far from it. And the Lakers probably got Ayton at the perfect time. After being questioned about his professionalism and commitment after being traded to the Lakers, Doncic has already lost weight before the European Basketball Championship with strong motivation. Austin Reeves is entering the most important season of his career, with a huge contract on the entire free agent market in jeopardy. And, James, who will turn 41 in December, has made it clear that he has no time to wait.
For Ayton, who will turn 27 by the end of July, the chances of reproving himself cannot be clear. While his contract with the Lakers comes with a second-year player option, none of the parties involved want him to exercise that option—they want him to play far beyond that $8 million worth and seek a higher salary next summer.
team sources believe that the Lakers have the right coaching team to achieve this. JJ Redick is an extremely serious head coach who knows how to get along with players. Assistant Scott Brooks worked with Ayton on the Trail Blazers two years ago, while Nate McMillan, as a player or coach, has worked with or fought with almost every player of his personality in NBA history. And if that doesn't work, the Lakers will also maintain flexibility for next summer and beyond.
Considering the options in the market and the chips they can provide, the Lakers would not have been able to do better this summer. If you ask the other 29 general managers, would they rather trade Nicholas Clarkston with a first-round pick or would rather pay Ayton $8 million, we can have considerable confidence in the answer.
And if there is any hesitation, it won't be because of something on the field. That would be a concern for the culture, adaptability, level of commitment, and the understanding of the sacrifices needed to win at the highest level.
In Los Angeles, Ayton will have the opportunity to prove that he is an absolutely cost-effective signing. But scoring and rebounding won't be the real way to evaluate that.
This will happen more out of the spotlight, in those meetings, in those flights, and in the training room. If the Lakers see Ayton’s good performance in those aspects, they will see his impact on another number, and that’s the most important number.
They will see this in the number of wins.
Author: Dan Woike
Translator: GWayNe
7m vn