“You can’t fool this Lakers organization”- Kendrick Perkins puts Deandre Ayton on notice as he joins forces with Luka Doncic in LA

The LA Lakers’ biggest move in free agency so far has been landing Deandre Ayton, the former No. 1 pick from the 2018 draft, the same class as Luka Doncic. NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins put the pressure on Ayton, urging him to elevate his game now that he’s in the Los Angeles spotlight.

On the “Road Trippin’ Show,” Perkins told Ayton to get fully locked in with the Lakers, who are aiming for a title run with Doncic and LeBron James at the helm. Ayton will have his work cut out in a Western Conference packed with elite big men like Nikola Jokic, Alperen Sengun and Anthony Davis.

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“They want some action, big fella,” Perkins said. “You got your hands full. So this should be a moment when you go in and check yourself and say, ‘You know what, I'm about to lock in.’ People need to see that you're committed in doing the little things.”

“You got a great responsibility. You're playing for one of the most historic franchises in sports. … You gotta go out there and produce, period. You gotta go out there and produce at a high level and you gotta do the little things because you cannot fool this Laker organization, this Laker fanbase, because they're going to call you out.”

Deandre Ayton reached a buyout agreement with the Portland Trail Blazers, who shifted to a younger frontcourt rotation. He then signed a two-year, $16.6 million deal with the Lakers.

Lakers legend weighs in on Deandre Ayton’s need for consistency

In an interview with Sportskeeda, Lakers radio analyst Mychal Thompson said the main challenge for Deandre Ayton in LA will be proving he can stay consistent.

“He’s an All-Star talent, but he has to do it over an 82-game schedule and do it consistently. So I don’t blame people for being a little bit skeptical about him,” Thompson told Sportskeeda. “But I have faith in him. I know he’s going to prove to everybody how good he is.”

Ayton averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds on 56.6% shooting last season, his lowest scoring and second-lowest rebounding numbers in his career.

He’s projected to start for a Lakers team that struggled with size during last year’s playoff series against the Timberwolves. LA also brought back Jaxson Hayes for additional depth.

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John Ezekiel Hirro

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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