Deandre Ayton looked like a perfect fit early in his LA Lakers stint, flashing the form that once made him a number one pick. Since December, that impact has faded. The dip forced JJ Redick into a bold move against the Memphis Grizzlies, benching Ayton in the fourth quarter and turning to Jaxson Hayes to close out a much-needed win.

Over the past few games, Ayton’s energy has been lacking. In 25 minutes, the former Phoenix Suns center scored just four points to go with 6 rebounds. Against it, Hayes injected life into the game when his number was called. He generated a block and two steals aside from his 12 points in just 23 minutes. When asked about the decision, Redick minced no words.

“He was playing better,” JJ said of Hayes’ performance.

Ayton’s deflated demeanor on the court is beginning to hamper the Lakers. The seven-footer experienced his best month with the Purple and Gold in November. He averaged 16.6 and 9 rebounds while having a positive influence on proceedings. However, over the last 10 games, his production has dipped to 11.5 points per game.

Clearly, something isn’t clicking like it did to start the season when Ayton recorded a three-game stretch with at least 20 points.

His drastic underperformance has sparked trouble for the Lakers, who are without Austin Reaves. Ayton hasn’t served as a reliable threat in the paint. Furthermore, his activity on the glass has also decreased. Over the last five games, the 27-year-old is averaging just 1.4 offensive rebounds per game.

The Lakers primarily brought Ayton as an upgrade over Hayes. But with his current run of games, JJ Redick could have another conundrum on his hands. At least the fans feel history is repeating itself as it has with Ayton throughout his career.

NBA fans feel Deandre Ayton is fully extinguished

Wherever Ayton’s been, he’s come full of promise. He was a key part when the Phoenix Suns made it to the NBA Finals. Ayton also showed out in his early days for Portland. However, he often seems to reach a plateau, leading to questions about his effort. That sentiment was caught when a fan commented, “Thought y’all loved Ayton. Blamed suns and blazers for how he was. You’re now getting the full Ayton experience.”

With that evident over the last few games, some fans feel “We’ve officially hit that stretch with Ayton”.

The drop off has been that noticeable. Particularly, Deandre Ayton has failed to establish himself in the rebounding battle since Christmas. He’s only had one game with 10 rebounds over the past four games.

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“Has anyone tried reminding Deandre Ayton to be the lion?” a fan asked.

His commitment to doing the little things seems to have crashed. The 27-year-old has recorded a negative plus/minus in six of his last seven games. While the Lakers’ struggles have played a role, Deandre Ayton has failed to impose himself with the Lakers without Reaves. From how it began, he’s almost unrecognizable.

“Ayton has become weirdly passive on both ends. He is not playing with the energy or desire we saw from him in the first couple of months. At all. Like two different players,” a fan pointed out. Simply put, the Lakers expect much more from Ayton as a third option in the current scenario. He has scored 15 or more just twice since the beginning of December.

But more than anything, his ferocity is lost. “Ayton just wants to catch and shoot. Doesn’t fight pick and roll on defense and away from rebounding positions today,” another fan mentioned.

When he is active on the glass, the Lakers usually pull through. In 14 games with three or more offensive rebounds, the Lakers are 9-5. That number drops significantly when Ayton fails to establish his presence in the paint.

JJ Redick benching him should light a fire under him. Or if taken the wrong way could lead to friction as it did in Phoenix with Monty Williams. To be a consistent contributor for the Lakers, Deandre Ayton needs to find his opportunities to make an impact, rather than relying on players feeding him the ball. If he can utilize his size and acumen, he’s shown just how valuable an asset he is.

But without the desire to do it every night, regardless of how involved he is, winning gets compromised.