The Washington Wizards traded for Deandre Ayton this summer, but general manager Will Dawkins confirmed he will be the backup center at Thursday's press conference. Dawkins called Ayton “a starting-level center and probably the best backup in the league”. Ayton hasn’t come off the bench since the bubble in 2020. He has made 363 straight starts and been a reserve in just seven of his 470 career NBA games. This will be a different role for DA. The Lakers avoided it at all costs last season, and getting the big man to buy in is crucial to Washington’s success.
There is no questioning Ayton’s talent. He was the number one overall draft pick in a loaded 2018 class. He went ahead of Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson, Trae Young, and Jaren Jackson Jr., who have all been All-Stars. Ayton anchored the Suns’ defense to the NBA Finals in 2021. He averaged a double-double for seven straight years and has always had confidence in himself.
Ayton is on his fourth team because the energy, effort, and buy-in are inconsistent. Last season with the Lakers, he had 13 20-point double-doubles and ten games where he scored five points or fewer. No matter how bad things got, head coach JJ Redick refused to bench DA after the Lakers promised him a starting role. There have been frustrations in Phoenix, Portland, and Los Angeles, but Ayton remained a starter. That is clearly his preference, so will he buy into playing a reserve role in Washington?
Wizards need Deandre Ayton to accept a reserve role
Role acceptance and buy-in are crucial to any contending squad. Washington just drafted AJ Dybantsa with the number one overall pick and wants to exit their rebuild. It is why they traded for Anthony Davis, Young, and Ayton.
AD is a ten-time All-Star and still producing like a superstar. There are questions about his contract, but when healthy, Davis is an unquestioned starter.
Alex Sarr has started every game since the Wizards drafted him second overall in 2024. He will be limited to start training camp, but Dawkins expects him to play on opening night. Sarr is a building block in Washington and will continue to start.
The Wizards can’t play with three big men. AD and Sarr are both below-average shooters, and Ayton doesn’t shoot 3-pointers at all. The lack of spacing forces coach Keefe to bring DA off the bench.
Deandre Ayton didn't choose the Wizards after picking up his option
Ayton picked up his $8.1 million player option with the Lakers before LA traded him to Washington for Jaden Hardy and two second-round draft picks. The purple and gold were happy to get draft capital. The Wizards wanted the center depth, but it wasn’t like Ayton signed up to play in the nation’s capital.
The seven-footer has had some rough games in recent years, but his team never benched him. Even when the effort and attention to detail weren’t there. They kept starting Ayton and playing him significant minutes. Clearly, the Lakers, Trail Blazers, and Suns thought DA might be negatively impacted by coming off the bench.
He bought into his role in LA last season, and the 28-year-old must accept a lesser one that is perfectly suited for him to dominate.
Will Dawkins will be right if Deandre Ayton accepts his role
Ayton could be the best backup big man in the NBA. He averages 15.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.0 block in 30.3 minutes per game for his career. DA has a strong floater and mid-range game that could be deadly against second-unit big men. He could bully the smaller options and force the slower ones away from the basket.
Ayton is an elite rebounder, which should only pop more against lesser competition.
Buying into a reserve role is Ayton’s chance to be one of the top offensive options on the floor. He would be behind Davis, Young, and Dybantsa in the Wizards' starting group. Washington may make Ayton the number one option in the second unit and give the big man a chance to bring DominAyton back.
The Wizards can use Sarr and AD to make up for Ayton’s lack of rim protection. The added depth also allows head coach Brian Keefe to quickly pull DA whenever he doesn’t have it. Maximizing Ayton’s minutes is another key to Washington making the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
Wizards plan to push into contention after landing AJ Dybantsa
The rebuild is over. Washington has a ton of young talent, but plans to use the veterans to help them grow. They traded for two stars to win games. The Wizards have three potential number one options after drafting AJ Dybantsa. It is all about getting back in the playoff mix.
They need Deandre Ayton to buy into his reserve role, or he won’t be long for the nation’s capital. The big man is on an $8.1 million expiring contract that can easily be sent packing before the deadline if things aren’t working out. Ayton faces pressure to earn a new contract and prove he can be an elite reserve center.
Mitchell Robinson just got a $47.3 million contract from the Boston Celtics after coming off the bench for the NBA champion New York Knicks. Reserve big man get paid if they embrace their role. Ayton needs to accept he isn’t a superstar and become a difference-making role player on a contender. That means defending, rebounding, and getting buckets when his number is called.
The Washington Wizards need Deandre Ayton to buy into being an elite backup center. The Los Angeles Lakers refused to bench him last season, but things are different in the nation’s capital. Ayton knows he is a reserve. He must accept that role and thrive in it. If not, this will be a brief stay with the Wizards.
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