Ayton pushes back on his Lakers role, frustrated with his usage after a strong performance.
Los Angeles Lakers center DeAndre Ayton had one of his best games as a Laker on Tuesday night, finishing with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting and 13 rebounds in a tough 110-109 loss to the Orlando Magic.
But instead of focusing on the positives, Ayton made his frustration known on his way to the showers after the game.
"I'm Not No Clint Capela"
As reported by ESPN's Dave McMenamin, Ayton said what he really felt loud enough for everyone in the locker room to hear.
"They're trying to make me Clint Capela," Ayton said. "I'm not no Clint Capela!"
The comment was a shot at the way the Lakers have been using him this season, and it was a reference to Capela's role as a rim-running, lob-catching center during his prime years with the Houston Rockets.
The thing is, Capela is now a backup on the Rockets and is averaging just 3.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game this season, so the comparison doesn't exactly scream star power.
But what the Lakers actually need from Ayton is someone who does the dirty work, someone who sets screens, rolls to the rim, finishes at the basket, and plays tough defense without needing a bunch of touches.
That is exactly the role Capela played in his best years, and it is exactly the role the Lakers need filled right now.
Ayton's Numbers Tell the Story
The frustration might be real, but so is the drop-off in Ayton's play since the start of the season.
Through his first 22 games before mid-December, he was averaging around 15.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game and had eight games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.
He looked like the player the Lakers signed him to be, and there was a lot of early optimism about what he could bring to this team.
Since then, across 27 games, those numbers have dropped to 11.7 points and 8.3 rebounds, with only three 20-and-10 performances in that entire stretch.
For the season as a whole, Ayton is putting up 13.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while shooting 66.7 percent from the field across 49 games, and in seven February appearances he has averaged just 10.6 points and 8.0 boards.
Those are not the numbers of a guy who should be asking for more touches on a team that already has Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves handling the ball.
Why the Lakers Should Move On
The Lakers sit at 34-23 on the season and are currently the sixth seed in the Western Conference, but their struggles on defense and on the glass have been a problem all year.
They have one of the worst defensive ratings in the league, and Ayton was supposed to help fix that when they signed him to a two-year, $16.6 million deal last summer.
Instead, his effort has been up and down all season, and his attitude problems are nothing new.
The Trail Blazers grew tired of similar issues before buying him out last summer, and a Western Conference scout told ESPN that as a former No. 1 pick, Ayton has "mostly underachieved."
With an $8.1 million player option on the table this offseason, Ayton's future in Los Angeles feels uncertain at best.
ESPN's Kevin Pelton has already pointed to center as a key area the Lakers need to address this summer, and after comments like these, it is hard to imagine the organization wanting to run it back.
The Lakers need a big man who is willing to do the little things and not complain about his role on a team full of stars.
If Ayton cannot accept that, then it might be time for both sides to go their separate ways.