Even in an offseason where the Golden State Warriors have not done anything too flashy themselves, fans in the Bay Area have every reason to be smiling right now. Partly because the Los Angeles Lakers have just pulled off one of the strangest and most desperate moves of the summer. Adding Deandre Ayton as a supposed difference-maker? After two separate teams already gave up on him? If Warriors fans were not laughing already, they will be soon.
Let’s just call it like it is. Ayton is a talented player. Nobody is denying that he has size, touch around the rim, and a decent shooting stroke for a big man. But there is a reason why Phoenix dumped him, and why Portland didn’t think twice before shipping him out not too long after. For all the physical gifts, the low motor and lack of consistent engagement have made Ayton one of the most frustrating players in the league. And now the Lakers are pivoting to him as one of their headline additions?
It is comedy, especially for Warriors fans who have spent the past several years watching Lakers fans talk themselves into every shiny new piece. There is always some storyline about how a guy will magically start playing the best basketball of his life the second he puts on the purple and gold. But Ayton is not that guy. He has already had chances to prove himself in pressure situations and failed to show the consistency or hunger that teams need from their frontcourt anchor.
Warriors fans can find humor in the Lakers' Ayton addition
Meanwhile, Golden State has stayed relatively quiet. But there is also no desperation move being dressed up as a masterstroke. That alone should make Warriors fans feel a lot more confident heading into the fall.
The rivalry between these two franchises has been alive and well in recent years, with postseason matchups and constant comparisons between rosters. And while both teams have seen better days, it is hard not to look at this offseason and feel like the Warriors have at least avoided embarrassment. The same cannot be said for the Lakers.
Banking on Ayton to suddenly become dependable at this stage feels more like wishful thinking than a calculated roster upgrade. Warriors fans know better than to fall for empty hype. And watching the Lakers talk themselves into another misfit project? That is the kind of thing that will keep Dub Nation laughing all the way through training camp.