Deandre Ayton has pissed off a lot of former basketball players with his latest Clint Capela comment. After the Phoenix Suns game, Ayton had just 2 points on just three field goal attempts in 23 minutes. Following the embarrassing loss, Ayton seemed frustrated with his role, alleging that the Lakers were trying to turn him into Capela.
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Ayton’s comments didn’t sit well with LeBron James’ former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Channing Frye, who said that with three of the top scorers in the world, Ayton’s expectations were lofty. The 2016 NBA champion also ripped Ayton for putting his head coach under the bus.
“Deandre Ayton is a master of nothing. In what world do I throw Deandre Ayton the basketball when I have fu**ing Austin, Reeves, LeBron, and Luka? Stop it,” Frye said on The Road Trippin’ Show. “You’re going to get JJ Redick fired. Who’s running those plays? What? When have you seen consistency from the man? You’ve never seen it.”
Capela was one of the central pieces on the Houston Rockets team with James Harden. He later took the rebounder and shot blocker role on the Atlanta Hawks team. The Rockets’ big man fared well in his role.
“So, him saying, “They want me to be Clint Capella.” Yeah, b*tch, he’s averaged a double-double for the majority of his career. Hear me out. I just think that’s ridiculous that you think you’re this magical thing on a championship-contending team when you haven’t shown that you could do the basics every single night. Defend, rim run, rebound. He hasn’t shown that he can do that. That’s just the truth. You have to talk to him like this.”
Capela has taken a reserve role on the current Rockets team. But throughout his career, he had established himself as a formidable force in the frontcourt, whereas Ayston hasn’t been able to do so. However, Ayton is a more versatile scorer who can knock down midrange shots, which opens up a deeper discussion about his role on his current team.
Does Deandre Ayton have a point in his dissatisfaction with the new role?
In his defense, Ayton is too talented to be limited to a role in the Lakers’ offense. He has shot over 66% from the field this season, and the Lakers need to feed him the ball a bit more. If the Lakers need to become a threat on the offensive end, especially inside the paint, Ayston is too big a factor to ignore.
This season, he is averaging 13 points per game, which is the lowest of his career. It is surprising, given the fact that he is averaging a career-high in field goal percentage. Moreover, in the last 14 games, he has averaged just 9.8 points per game. In the three-game losing streak, Ayton has scored 4 points against the Boston Celtics and 2 points against the Phoenix Suns. In these two games, he attempted 8 shots.
Los Angeles has an impressive 16-3 record when Ayton attempts 10 or more shots. However, over the last 14 games, he has attempted just 7.2 shots per game, and the Lakers are 7-7. Perhaps Redick should get Ayton more involved in his offensive system.
But Ayton has to understand that he won’t be the first and the last player to make a sacrifice for the team to get better. He doesn’t need to be the scorer that he views himself to be. As a big man on the roster, he has other bigger responsibilities. Perhaps he can earn the trust of his playmakers and the coach when he starts fulfilling his duties.