The Washington Wizards started Deandre Ayton with Anthony Davis out, and showed why the Lakers were eager to trade him. Ayton finished with eight points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and one steal, but he only played 23 minutes. The rim protection was nonexistent, which forced Washington to go in a different direction late. Ayton had a 146.9 defensive rating on Friday night in a 139-132 loss to the Hawks.
DA deserves praise. The former number one overall draft pick has bought into his reserve role in Washington when AD and Alex Sarr are healthy. He has improved his passing, which was on display with three dimes against the Hawks. Ayton is extending his career and deserves credit for putting his ego aside in the nation’s capital.
The seven-footer opted in to his $8.1 million player option with the Lakers before they traded him to Washington for Jaden Hardy and two second-round draft picks. LA was pleasantly surprised to get draft capital (subscription required) for Ayton, despite needing a backup center. Games like Friday were exactly why.
Deandre Ayton’s defense was a problem
The Hawks shot 53 percent from the field and scored 62 points in the paint against the Wizards on Friday night. Washington was middle of the pack coming into the contest by allowing 47.3 paint points per game. Atlanta got 15 more than the Wizards' average, and much of that was on Ayton.
Luka Doncic wanted a starting center from the moment he arrived in Los Angeles. He thrives running pick-and-roll with a lob threat and rim protector. The Lakers tried to trade for Mark Williams before a failed physical nixed the trade. It took a year and a half before LA had the means to land Walker Kessler. Fans have already seen how that unlocks Doncic.
Ayton was the best available option for the Lakers last season. He helped them reach the second round of the playoffs after Luka went down with an injury. DA put up strong numbers, but LA’s defense was not good enough to be a serious title contender. The Thunder played Ayton off the floor in the second-round playoff series. His playing time declined in every contest as OKC outscored the Lakers by 18 points in Ayton’s 99 minutes in the sweep.
The Wizards saw those issues against the Hawks. Atlanta scored 139 points without All-Star Jalen Johnson. The defense was a disaster, and the contrast was even starker going from Anthony Davis to Ayton.
Deandre Ayton is no longer a starting center
Ayton was the number one overall draft pick in 2018 ahead of Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson, and Trae Young. He was the starting center and defensive anchor for the Suns’ 2021 NBA Finals squad. There was a time when Ayton was a difference-making starting center.
The 28-year-old is in the perfect role with the Wizards. Coming off the bench makes it easier to go in a different direction when Ayton doesn’t have it. It was easy to notice he played just three minutes in the fourth quarter on Friday night because he started. The Wizards closed the final 4:50 with Tre Johnson taking Ayton’s place and Alex Sarr shifting down to the five.
Ayton struggles on defense are nothing new. The Wizards have a 120.7 defensive rating with him on the floor this season. The offense is actually better with DA in the game, but the defense is 10.5 points per 100 possessions worse. The Wizards are 9.8 points per 100 possessions better overall without him.
Washington relied on him for a spot start with AD out. Davis played through his ankle sprain in Wednesday’s game and shouldn’t miss an extended stretch. The Wizards want to contend and can’t make Ayton the starting center if they plan on accomplishing that goal.
Wizards must put Deandre Ayton in positions to succeed
Ayton can feast on second unit big men if he is locked in on both ends of the floor. Trae Young wants to play with a pick-and-roll partner. Ayton got fed by Luka Doncic last season and can get easy buckets in the paint. The Wizards have to use the big man wisely and take advantage of opportunities.
The Lakers were 2.5 points per 100 possessions better without Ayton and had a 117.0 defensive rating when he played last season. They know too well about his rim protection issues.
Washington has done well mitigating this problem, but it came out against the Hawks on Friday night because Anthony Davis was out. The Wizards couldn’t get a stop with Ayton on the floor, and it was a recipe for disaster. Washington dipped to 4-5 on the season, and the Wizards know they need to watch DA’s minutes closely when Davis returns.
The Washington Wizards gave up two second-round draft picks and Jaden Hardy to get Deandre Ayton. It was a low price for a backup big man in a market that was pricey for centers. The Lakers were ready to move on because of Ayton’s defense and inconsistency. Washington saw that on full display in Friday’s start. Hopefully, Davis gets healthy quickly, so they can maximize Ayton in a lesser role.
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