Lakers' Deandre Ayton Gets Honest About Losing to Former Blazers Teammates

Oct 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (5) looks to pass the ball while under pressure from Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images

New Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton squared off against his old team, the Portland Trail Blazers, for the first time since switching sides on Monday night.

Ayton did his darnedest, scoring 16 points and pulling down eight rebounds, but a shorthanded LA fell to the healthier Trail Blazers in a 122-108 blowout loss.

More news: Blazers Facing Lakers Without 7 Key Players on Monday

Following the game, Ayton revealed that his old colleagues were talking smack to him throughout the encounter.

Deandre Ayton facing the Blazers:

"They definitely was talking crap to me the whole time. Deni Avdija, every shot he made he just kept rubbing it in" pic.twitter.com/jEmzydIshf

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) October 28, 2025

"They definitely was talking crap to me the whole time. I definitely had to embrace it and take [to] the chin a little bit. [Portland forward] Deni Avdija, every shot he made he just kept rubbing it in," Ayton said. "But yeah, I love that they played hard, though."

Avdija scored 25 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the floor (5-of-8 from distance) and 4-of-4 shooting from the charity stripe, while also logging four assists, four rebounds, three blocks and a steal.

More news: Blazers to Face Clippers Without Injured All-Star Guard Sunday

Now without their freshly-extended head coach Chauncey Billups after the Hall of Fame former point guard was embroiled in an FBI gambling scandal, the Trail Blazers remained a formidable force under interim coach Tiago Splitter.

Portland, fed up with Ayton, ultimately opted to buy out the former No. 1 draft pick from his expiring maximum salary deal for 2025-26. Ayton agreed to a two-year, $16.2 million deal with Los Angeles, with a player option for the 2026-27 season.

Ayton vs Clingan

Portland center Donovan Clingan, the No. 7 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft out of the University of Connecticut, has supplanted Ayton as the team's starting five. Clingan bested Ayton in their duel Monday, notching 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting, 14 rebounds, two dimes, two rejections and a steal.

Still, Ayton represents a massive upgrade over now-backup center Jaxson Hayes, who had served as the Lakers' starter after the team traded away 10-time All-Star big man Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks as part of the team's Luka Doncic blockbuster deal.

Through four games with Los Angeles thus far, the 7-foot Arizona product has been averaging 15.8 points on 60 percent shooting from the floor and 37.5 percent free throw shooting, 9.3 boards, 1.0 dimes 1.0 blocks and 0.8 swipes in 34.1 minutes per.

Portland and LA sport identical 2-2 records this season.

For more news and notes on the Portland Trail Blazers, visit Portland Trail Blazers on SI.