{"id":105887,"date":"2025-09-30T08:19:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T08:19:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=105887"},"modified":"2025-09-30T08:19:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T08:19:10","slug":"exclusive-update-insiders-reveal-aytons-choice-wasnt-just-symbolic-but-a-powerful-message-to-teammates-and-rivals-that-hes-ready-to-embrace-the-spotlight-in-la-fans-are-bu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=105887","title":{"rendered":"EXCLUSIVE UPDATE: Insiders reveal Ayton\u2019s choice wasn\u2019t just symbolic but a powerful message to teammates and rivals that he\u2019s ready to embrace the spotlight in LA. Fans are buzzing nonstop, convinced this move could transform the team\u2019s chemistry heading into the season"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"flex w-full max-w-[980px] flex-col px-4 pt-4 font-secondary lg:px-0\">\n<h3 id=\"main-title-3542998\" class=\"mb-4 font-primary text-3xl font-bold text-[#141414] lg:text-5xl\">Fans will love Deandre Ayton\u2019s decision in first Lakers Media Day<\/h3>\n<p class=\"dek prose mb-2.5 italic text-secondary\">Deandre Ayton is already endearing himself to Lakers fans with his sneaker decision in today&#8217;s Media Day appearance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full max-w-[980px] flex-row gap-5\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col lg:max-w-[660px]\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aspect-video w-full max-w-full object-contain object-center px-4 lg:px-0\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Lakers-center-Deandre-Ayton-5-during-media-day.jpg?w=1200\" alt=\"featured-image\" \/><\/figure>\n<article class=\"article-body prose max-w-none pb-7 pt-5 prose-figure:max-w-full prose-ol:pl-10 prose-img:max-w-full prose-video:max-w-full md:prose-ol:pl-6 [&amp;_iframe]:m-auto [&amp;_iframe]:block [&amp;_iframe]:max-w-full\">The\u00a0Los Angeles Lakers addressed their most urgent need\u00a0heading into the offseason when they pounced on the surprise availability of\u00a0Deandre Ayton on the free-agent market after the Portland Trail Blazers decided to buy him out of his contract.<\/p>\n<p>Considering how limited the Lakers&#8217; resources were, upgrading their frontcourt with the addition of Ayton, a constant double-double threat since he entered the NBA in 2018, at such a low cost (two-year, $16 million contract) cannot be viewed as anything other than a huge win.<\/p>\n<p>Ayton, however, comes with his fair share of baggage.<\/p>\n<p>Rumor has it that the\u00a0new Lakers starting center has punctuality issues, and his work ethic has been called into question many times.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, he doesn&#8217;t have the best motor out on the court, and his effort issues have led to benchings throughout his career.<\/p>\n<p>But now that he&#8217;s gotten a fresh start with the Lakers, it seems like Ayton is turning over a new leaf as well. He better do, especially if he&#8217;s\u00a0going to rock\u00a0the late great Kobe Bryant&#8217;s sneakers like he did during Media Day.<\/p>\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" class=\"\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1972794265253376443&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fclutchpoints.com%2Fnba%2Flos-angeles-lakers%2Flakers-news-fans-will-love-deandre-aytons-decision-in-first-la-media-day&amp;sessionId=0789fc9ab8e6b02a77835bda7d44f81f291aeb29&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=500px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"1972794265253376443\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>Bryant is the pure embodiment of the famous <em><strong>\u201cMamba Mentality\u201d<\/strong><\/em>. He pushed the boundaries of what is capable with his legendary work ethic, and he worked tirelessly to become the best version of himself \u2014 resulting in five championships with the Lakers.<\/p>\n<p>Ayton&#8217;s biggest issue is work ethic and effort, and one would think that these problems of his will not sit well with Bryant.<\/p>\n<p>The new Lakers starting center is also entering a win-now situation alongside serial winner LeBron James and top-five current player Luka Doncic, so he has to be his best self all season long if the Purple and Gold were to somehow compete for a title.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Can Deandre Ayton be the missing piece for the Lakers?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3542933\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3542933\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3542933\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_0197.jpeg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_0197.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_0197.jpeg?resize=300,168 300w, https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_0197.jpeg?resize=768,431 768w, https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_0197.jpeg?resize=1024,574 1024w, https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_0197.jpeg?resize=150,84 150w\" alt=\"Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (5) during media day at UCLA Health Training Center.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"574\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3542933\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>No Lakers fan would ever forget soon how their decimated frontcourt got taken to the woodshed by Rudy Gobert during the 2025 NBA playoffs.\u00a0Gobert dominated the interior battle, helping the Minnesota Timberwolves take the series decisively in a five-game battle.<\/p>\n<p>Ayton, at the very least, has averaged at least 10 rebounds per game in every season of his career.<\/p>\n<p>He&#8217;s going to help solve the Lakers&#8217; rebounding woes, and he provides offensive versatility from the center position seeing as he can shoot from midrange.<\/p>\n<p>With gifted playmakers such as Doncic and James around to feed him, Ayton is going to feast \u2014 as long as he keeps his head down and does what is asked of him without complaints.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fans will love Deandre Ayton\u2019s decision in first Lakers Media Day Deandre Ayton is already endearing himself to Lakers fans with his sneaker decision in today&#8217;s Media&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":105888,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-105887","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>EXCLUSIVE UPDATE: Insiders reveal Ayton\u2019s choice wasn\u2019t just symbolic but a powerful message to teammates and rivals that he\u2019s ready to embrace the spotlight in LA. 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