J.J. Redick Reveals How the Lakers Plan to Use DeAndre Ayton This Season

Finishing and Rim Running

There are a few interesting points in those comments. First, his remarks on using Ayton as a rim runner. Ayton earned an A- in finishing talent with the Trail Blazers last season, per BBall-Index.

Ayton managed this strong season in a poor environment, as well. Portland had an inexperienced team, and as a result, they came in below average in teammate playmaking talent around Ayton. In Los Angeles, however, Ayton will have two of the best table setters in NBA history with Luka Dončić and LeBron James, as evidenced by Jaxson Hayes’ placement in the chart below.

Defensive Versatility

Secondly, Redick emphasized Ayton’s defensive ability, an often-overlooked aspect of his game due to his effort issues that have cropped up at times throughout his career. In 2024, Ayton earned grades of A, A+, and A+ in help defense talent, rim protection, and defensive rebounding talent, proving his effectiveness in that area. Hayes, on the other hand, struggled in these areas, grading as below average as a rim protector.

One part of Ayton’s defensive ability that really stands out is what he does on switches, which Redick emphasizes near the end of the clip. Ayton was graded as BBall Index’s second-best big man in perimeter isolation defense last season, behind only Bam Adebayo. While Hayes struggled as a rim protector, he struggled especially in isolation, which Redick highlighted as a skillset they lacked at center after Davis was traded last season.

Off-Ball Scoring

Additionally, Ayton is a real threat as a midrange shooter, earning an A- grade in that area. That ability can pull opposing bigs away from the rim, creating space for the Lakers to get easier looks at the basket. 

He had a down year as an off-ball scorer last season, but that’s expected to improve with the Lakers’ previously mentioned elite playmaking. This outlook seems even more likely when you consider Ayton’s best seasons in that area, shown in the chart below.

Ayton reached his peak as an off-ball scorer in 2022, when Chris Paul was his point guard. Now, with Luka and LeBron, it’s reasonable to expect him to achieve similar success.

The Lakers don’t need Ayton to be an All-NBA or even All-Star caliber player to make a deep playoff run. They need him to be reliable in the areas Redick mentioned, working as a solid screener, midrange shooter, and finisher at the rim. If he can find success in those areas, and the Lakers have decent injury luck, it should be a good year for basketball's most scrutinized team.