Mind The Game (DR) / Portland Trail Blazers (DR)
By Mathieu Seguin | Sport editor
For several months, Los Angeles has been looking to fill a major void in his racket. The leaders multiplied the tracks without finding the right formula, and the problem weighed heavily during early elimination against Timberwolves. As a new season approaches, the organization finally hopes to have found the solution.
The departure of Anthony Davis in the exchange that brought Luka Doncic had upset the balance of the workforce. If the operation was considered essential, it left the Lakers without real interior anchoring. An attempt to recruit Mark Williams at the time of the Deadline had failed, and the team never knew how to compensate for this weakness.
This summer, the franchise has chosen to invest on Deandre Ayton with a two -year contract at $ 16.2 million. An important bet for a recognized talent player but whose reputation remains marred by his experiences in Phoenix and then Portland. Some analysts nevertheless think that it is the ideal profile to relaunch the Californian project.
A new start for Deandre Ayton in Los Angeles
Former NBA interior, Olden Polynice believes that Ayton was partly the victim of his previous contexts: “They abandoned on him. If you draft a number one player and, for various reasons, you do not develop it, it is the responsibility of management and staff ”. According to him, past failures should not only be assigned to the player.
Byron Scott, a former Lakers coach, is more prudent, judging that the pivot must also assume his share. “When a player knows the same difficulties in several teams, we must also start to turn to him”he recalled. But he recognizes that the presence of LeBron James and Luka Doncic can be a lever to relaunch his career.
Still according to Scott, this context could represent Ayton’s last great chance: “You have a new breath of fresh air, a new life that is offered to you by playing with LeBron, Luka, Austin Reaves and the rest of the Lakers. You really have to seize this opportunity, because it could be your last lap ”. A clear message sent to the 26 -year -old.
If expectations are high, the potential is just as large. Scott also insists on the importance of LeBron’s leadership in this equation: “You have a guy like LeBron, and he will demand from Ayton that he gives the maximum. It is a major reinforcement for Lakers, without a doubt ”. The combination of discipline, requirement and competitive environment could finally unlock its full potential.
