There were a lot of expectations for Deandre Ayton with his offseason arrival to the Los Angeles Lakers, the center said so himself. But so far through the season, the seven-footer has responded well and been more-than-solid big man for the Lakers alongside LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves.
However, Ayton’s immediate future could be in question, as in the team’s latest game against the Utah Jazz, the center was taken out with an injury. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, after consulting with the Lakers, Ayton has a right knee contusion. He was originally listed as questionable to return, but was later ruled out.
Ayton had only missed one game for the Lakers this season, but as seen with knee injuries around the league, it could be a major concern for Los Angeles. Before leaving the game, he had just two points and three rebounds in 13 minutes.
Ayton Out With Knee Injury After A Strong Start
As mentioned, Ayton had high expectations for his role alongside the offensive stars, and for the most part, he lived up to those expectations. In 14 appearances, the center was averaging 16.5 points and 8.8 rebounds on 69.9% shooting.
Ayton’s defense remains not at the level Los Angeles would hope, but as a pick-and-roll and lob threat, he’s been strong as ever playing the two-man game with Doncic and Reaves. Most recently, Ayton had put together three consecutive games with 20 points, at least 10 rebounds, and a block, on a combined 78% shooting, in three straight wins.
While he still might not match up next to Nikola Jokic, Karl-Anthony Towns, Victor Wembanyama, or Jalen Duren in terms of being one of the best big men in the league, Ayton, on a modest $8.1 million salary, has been more than suitable for the Lakers’ below-average front court.
Lakers’ Possible Replacements
A long-term Ayton injury could be cause for concern, but McMenamin reporting his status as questionable is at least a good sign for a Lakers team that just recently got all of their players back healthy.
According to the team insider, Jaxson Hayes was the initial replacement for Ayton, as he has the most experience and offers an athletic and energetic presence on the court with James, Doncic, and Reaves.
If the knee injury is serious, Hayes will likely regain the starting center role he had for a lot of last season. Los Angeles doesn’t have Anthony Davis like they did last year for much of that stretch, meaning Hayes would likely be the only true frontcourt player on any potential JJ Redick roster without Ayton.
The Lakers also have Maxi Kleber as an option, who played a decent amount of time in the game against the Jazz. He had only made four previous appearances this season, meaning that if Los Angeles is relying on him for big minutes, that might not be a great sign.
Redick also has Christian Koloko and perhaps some other G-League players to choose from, but any of them being anything but reserve options means trouble could be coming.
After the first Utah game, which saw James make his return, the Lakers had a fully healthy roster. Now, with Ayton potentially out, one injury creates a lot of questions as to what their lineups and trade plans could look like.
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