Deandre Ayton has the ability to significantly fortify a Los Angeles Lakers team that was frightfully weak at the center position this past season after shipping out Anthony Davis to land Luka Doncic. He is an excellent lob threat who can also post up and hit the mid-range jumper, and he’s a strong rebounder who averages 10.5 boards a game for his career.

But the bone of contention for Ayton has always been his defense. His rim protection has always been lacking, and he has been accused of not giving maximum effort on the defensive end.

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After he displayed some very concerning behavior with the Portland Trail Blazers over the last two years, Ayton has been accused of being a malcontent by critics. At his introductory press conference after signing with the Lakers, he said he wants to prove those critics wrong.

“It fuels me completely,” Ayton said. “It’s a different type of drive that I’ve been wanting to express for a long time. I think this is the perfect timing, here in the purple and gold. It’s a platform that I cannot run from. I can show what I really am and just be around some greats to really emphasize that for me as well. There is a lot of fuel in me to prove the world wrong.”

In Los Angeles, Ayton will definitely be under a microscope, much more than he was while in Portland or even while he played on a Phoenix Suns team that got to within two wins of an NBA championship.

He was a surprise addition to this summer’s free agent class when he agreed to a buyout of his contract with the Trail Blazers on June 29. That contract would’ve paid him $35.55 million this coming season, but he instead signed with L.A. for two years and $16.2 million.

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Ayton has a tremendous opportunity to not only repair his reputation but also greatly increase his value. If he plays well and improves defensively, something he said he wants to do, he could set himself up for a very sizable contract next summer.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: New Lakers center Deandre Ayton wants to ‘prove the world wrong’