Lakers Center Deandre Ayton Voices Frustration Over Limited Touches: “Bigs Can’t Feed Themselves”
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Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton acknowledged Sunday that he has been unhappy with his recent involvement on offense, saying after a 116-105 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, “Bigs can’t feed themselves.”
The remark came two days after head coach JJ Redick revealed Ayton had expressed concerns about a lack of touches. The Lakers faced Memphis in consecutive games at Crypto.com Arena, and Ayton’s offensive role varied sharply between the two contests.
Different outcomes in back-to-back meetings
• Friday, Jan. 2: Ayton logged four points on 2-for-4 shooting, collected six rebounds and sat during the closing minutes, as Redick opted for Jaxson Hayes in a 109-104 victory.
• Sunday, Jan. 4: The 27-year-old center finished with 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting and eight rebounds in 34 minutes, helping Los Angeles sweep the mini-series.
Asked postgame whether the earlier benching fueled his frustration, Ayton pointed to his reliance on playmakers such as Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. “I just try my best to bring effort, and I trust my playmakers out there to find me,” he said.
Redick still searching for consistency
The second-year coach, already dealing with injuries and defensive struggles, cited another issue after Friday’s win: execution of after-timeout sets. According to Redick, the Lakers ran only four of 12 ATO plays correctly despite using an identical playbook all season.
Los Angeles, 19-15 after Sunday’s victory, relies heavily on Ayton with limited depth in the frontcourt. Ensuring the former No. 1 overall pick remains engaged figures to be a priority as the team pursues a return to championship contention.
Source: Lakers Nation
