Just as the Lakers got Luka Dončić and Marcus Smart back, they are now dealing with another new injury. Deandre Ayton didn’t play during the second half of LA’s win over Memphis after tweaking his back in the first half on an alley-oop play.
The potentially good news is that Ayton is optimistic that he will be available on Sunday against the Heat.
Deandre Ayton started on Friday against the Grizzlies in NBA Cup action, but did not return to the bench for the third quarter. With Ayton out, Jaxson Hayes took his place in the starting lineup.
Ayton did return to the bench in the fourth quarter and was available to play. But the Lakers were ahead, and he never stepped back onto the floor. After the win, head coach JJ Redick mentioned that he did not want to push Ayton by putting him back into the game with a sensitive back.
Ayton ended his night playing just 17 minutes and scoring nine points.
Despite Ayton’s hopes to play on Sunday, his status for the upcoming game against the Heat at home is now certainly in question.
During these first five games, Ayton’s Los Angeles era has gotten off to a positive start. He is averaging 16 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
It appears that with each ongoing contest, his chemistry with the Lakers’ guards, such as Austin Reaves, has been improving rapidly. He has been the team’s starting center in every game so far.
If Ayton can’t go, fans should expect Hayes to start in his place. This is a role Hayes is familiar with. He has a comfort level with Luka, so he should have no problem taking care of this responsibility if Ayton isn’t available.
Last season, Hayes averaged 6.8 points and 4.8 rebounds for the purple and gold. Even with Hayes ready to step up, it would be a huge blow for the Lakers if Ayton can’t play.
Ayton has been good, and the Lakers were getting closer to full health with Dončić and Smart returning. Hopefully, he avoided a major injury and can play against Bam Adebayo and the Heat on Sunday.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
