It\u2019s very clear how good Deandre Ayton can be. He was picked No. 1 in the same draft as Luka Don\u010di\u0107 because he can dominate as a scorer, rebounder and even as a defender.<\/p>\n
When he reaches those heights, he flirts with his maximum potential. But when he falls short of that quality, it\u2019s equally disappointing.<\/p>\n
During the Lakers\u2019 current homestand, Ayton has been the best version of himself. Against the Wolves, he had 14 points and 12 rebounds as the Lakers dominated Minnesota<\/a>.<\/p>\n After the win, Austin Reaves talked about how much Ayton matters to this team.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was a monster\u2026\u201d Reaves said. \u201cHe was the only person scoring for us efficiently and then just being high energy on the other end. Just doing what he does and that\u2019s what we need him to do. When he does that, we\u2019re a different team. We\u2019re thankful to have him.\u201d<\/p>\n While Ayton has had moments of disappointment, he\u2019s still the starting center for the Lakers. When he registers a double-double as he did against Minnesota, the Lakers dominate. During the 20 times this year, Ayton has accomplished this feat, LA is 17-3 in those contests.<\/p>\n So, getting Ayton producing puts the Lakers in a position to win.<\/p>\n \u201dI think he was very locked in today,\u201d Don\u010di\u0107 said after the win over the Wolves. \u201cHe was huge for us today. We need to encourage him to keep doing like that. When he plays like that, it helps as well.\u201d<\/p>\n While Ayton is oozing with talent, he seems to be a player who needs the encouragement Luka is talking about. He\u2019s a big who needs to get fed the ball and feel involved so he can bring his best. The Lakers have done big and small things to keep him engaged. A clear example of this is them making t-shirts for Ayton<\/a> that encourage him to be a lion.<\/p>\n