Lakers' Deandre Ayton Sends Message After 1-Point Performance in Preseason Opener

Oct 3, 2025; Palm Desert, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (5) shoots over Phoenix Suns center Oso Ighodaro (11) during the first half at Acrisure Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

In his first-ever game with the Los Angeles Lakers, a 103-81 preseason loss to the Phoenix Suns in Palm Desert on Friday, newly signed starting center Deandre Ayton failed to make a major splash.

Without LeBron James or Luka Doncic available to feed him (although Austin Reaves played for 20:50), Ayton took only two shots from the floor, making neither (he did go 1-of-2 from the foul line) across just 17:50 of action.

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The 7-footer out of Arizona did pull down eight rebounds, block two shots, dish out one dime and swipe on steal.

After the game, however, Ayton seemed encouraged by his effort, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register.

“I wanted to show the team I’m more committed on [the] defensive end than the offense, in a way,” Ayton said. “Like I [said] from the get-go, I’m not really here for numbers. I’m just here for whatever the Lakers really want me to do. And the main objective is really protecting that rim and closing out our possessions.

Ayton appears to be set on rediscovering that defensive, athletic focus that made him such a two-way threat for a few brief years with the Phoenix Suns. In Phoenix, he thrived off lobs from one of the game's elite passers in Chris Paul. Now, with Doncic and James constantly seeking him out in the post, the hope is that he'll rekindle that same energy.

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“And I had fun, just blocking some shots, being that anchor and seeing how the guys responded to me, just with terminology and stuff like that," Ayton added. "It was fun, honestly.”

Second-year Lakers head coach JJ Redick, who as a player suited up against Ayton plenty of times before calling it a career in 2021 (Ayton and Doncic were drafted in 2018), doesn't seem particularly concerned with the big man's modest scoring night.

'Just Getting Comfortable'

“It’s just getting comfortable and in a rhythm for him,” Redick said. “Part of the reason we wanted him with us and on this team with this group is the partnership with Luka and what we think that will look like. There’s a rhythm and comfort level with AR (Reaves) that’s gonna develop as well. That will develop. [When] he gets comfortable playing with those two guys in pick-and-roll, you’ll see his offensive output.

“But he did make a couple plays," Redick opined. "I know he missed one at the rim and hustled back and broke up a lob play. There were some bright moments for him, too.”

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