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“Can Still Be a Major Difference” - Los Angeles Lakers' Move to Sign Ayton Not Convincing to NBA Insider 2 Washington Wizards guard Marcus Smart reacts to a call during an NBA regular season game.Credit: Getty Images

'Can Still Be a Major Difference' – Los Angeles Lakers’ Move to Sign Ayton Not Convincing to NBA Insider

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Reign Amurao | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 7:05 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers believe they have secured the ideal center to pair with All-Star guard Luka Doncic in Deandre Ayton . The Bahamian center finalized a contract buyout agreement with the Portland Trail Blazers at the beginning of free agency. The Lakers moved swiftly and signed the free agent big man to a two-year contract.

Ayton is an obvious upgrade from Jaxson Hayes, who was the team’s starting center when they traded Anthony Davis for Doncic. However, he isn’t the same talent ed player as Davis. Offensively, the former No. 1 pick is reliable. Especially when he has the ball inside, he’s almost unstoppable.

However, the concern is his effort and defensive tenacity. There have been questions about how hard Ayton works, starting his time with the Phoenix Suns. He showed promise as a star player. Since getting drafted in 2018, DA hasn’t been close to being an All-Star. The only individual accolade he can boast is the First Team All-Rookie selection.

NBA insider David Aldridge isn’t convinced that Ayton can be a reliable center for the Los Angeles Lakers. The negative review of his effort from the Suns and Blazers adds to his case and how he’ll perform for the Pueple & Gold team.

“We’ll see if Ayton can still be a major difference maker after flaming out in Phoenix and Portland,” Aldridge said.

Fortunately for the Lakers, they have Doncic and LeBron James. Both players can elevate their teammates with how they can get them into ideal situations, paired with t heir elite court vision. Ayton wants to move on from his past and be one of the team’s key players in the upcoming campaign.

Former Los Angeles Lakers guard expects a big year for Marcus Smart

One of the players that the Los Angeles Lakers signed this summer was Marcus Smart. Similar to Ayton, the defensive guard was bought out by the Washington Wizards, and the Lakers went after him. The 6-foot-3 guard is considered to be one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He even won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022.

However, he hasn’t been the same since then. He’s played for the Memphis Grizzlies and the Wizards, constantly dealing with injuries. Even with that, former Lakers guard Patrick Beverley expects that Smart will have a great season with his new team.

“The sleeper of this whole pickup was Marcus Smart,” Beverley said. “Marcus Smart has something to prove. It’s different, right? You talk about Marcus Smart dealing with injury. Yeah, he got Defensive Player of the Year. Is he the same player? Is he gonna defend it like that?”

“People don’t understand, after the trade deadline, this month and a half, Marcus Smart was playing some really good basketball with the [Washington] Wizards. People don’t understand that. And…he has motivation to get a new contract. He has motivation to get back to the Marcus Smart that people know he is. So, I think he’s gonna have a stunning year.”

With enough scoring punch, Smart can focus on being a defensive menace on the floor for the Lakers.

“Can Still Be a Major Difference” - Los Angeles Lakers' Move to Sign Ayton Not Convincing to NBA Insider 3 Oct 7, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (36) in action during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Memphis Grizzlies at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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