Deandre Ayton’s Los Angeles Lakers debut received a lot of attention following their loss to the Golden State Warriors.
On the opening night of the 2025-26 NBA season between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors, all eyes were on Deandre Ayton.
After all, it was Ayton’s debut in the purple and gold. With the Lakers losing by 10 points, Ayton became an easy target for fans and the media.
Even before his debut, Ayton was advised to play like the Lakers’ Anthony Davis. Simply put, that meant making his presence felt above the hardwood forest.
However, Haynes said Ayton was unable to do so in the 119-109 loss to the Warriors.
“We’ve seen this. I’m not going to say he played badly. I think he was (5-7) from the field. 10 points, six rebounds, one block, but he’s got to make his presence felt every game.”
“You can’t just disappear, especially when his team is undermanned,” Haynes said on The Association.
Ayton was held to 10 points in a game in which Luka Doncic scored 43 points and Austin Reeves added 26 points.
The biggest reason for that was Ayton’s lack of shooting, as he attempted just seven shots in 34 minutes.
The Lakers have a great roster, at least on paper, but they haven’t been at their best to start the season. why? Now, LeBron James is sidelined due to right sciatica pain.
Haynes reiterated that point and believes it’s the biggest reason Ayton needs to make his presence known.
“When I say undermanned, I mean without LeBron. Ayton has to help the Lakers. He can’t float. He just hasn’t established himself and created a presence,” Haynes concluded.
After all, it’s only one game and the Lakers have plenty of time to push Ayton to be more aggressive on the court.
There is no specific timeline set for when the King will return to the court, so the sooner the better.