As the Los Angeles Lakers continue to navigate offensive inconsistency, head coach JJ Redick acknowledged that DeAndre Ayton and his role has become a focal point internally, with frustration beginning to surface for the veteran center.
“I think he’s frustrated. He doesn’t feel like he’s getting the ball. There’s some stuff we have to clean up versus the shock, just for him to be more available,” Redick said. “It’s on everybody. We tried to run an ATO for him, but that was one of the ATOs we didn’t run correctly. There are opportunities for him to duck in at times when he’s not being active, and there are opportunities to hit him when he’s not ducked in and we’re not hitting him,” via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
Redick emphasized that the issue is not isolated to Ayton alone, but rather tied to trust, engagement, and timing throughout the offense.
“To me, it comes down to whether he’s going to be active, engaged, and assertive,” Redick said. “I think the trust level from the passer builds off that. But we have to start getting him a couple of touches before the seven-minute mark.”
The Lakers’ coaching staff has discussed how a lack of early involvement can impact a player’s overall focus, particularly for big men who rely on guards to create opportunities.
“We’ve talked about it as a team how if you don’t feel like you’re getting the ball, the rest of your focus wanes a little bit,” Redick added. “I think that’s human nature for most NBA players.”
The Lakers sit at 21-11, a record that masks ongoing concerns with consistency, physicality, and offensive cohesion. Those issues were evident again in Friday’s win over Memphis, when Redick opted to close the game with Jaxson Hayes over Ayton.
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