Raymond Felton Questions Deandre Ayton's Fit with Lakers' Stars The Los Angeles Lakers are navigating a complex dynamic as they attempt to integrate star players LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves with former first-round pick Deandre Ayton. The team’s struggles to balance their roster have sparked ongoing speculation and criticism, with Ayton’s role on the court under scrutiny. From Luka Doncic’s frequent complaints to referees to the Lakers’ defensive vulnerabilities, the team has faced multiple challenges this season. Ayton’s frustration with his limited playing time has also added to the tension, as he seeks a more prominent role in the offense. Former NBA guard Raymond Felton, a 14-season veteran, has offered a potential solution to Ayton’s grievances. On his podcast “To The Baha,” Felton suggested moving Ayton to the bench to play with the second unit. This approach, he argued, would allow Ayton to receive more touches without competing for ball-handling responsibilities with the team’s top playmakers. Felton, who was the first-overall pick in the 2018 draft, emphasized that Ayton’s career has revolved around being a primary ball-handler, averaging 12.4 attempts per game in his first seven seasons. This season, however, his touches have been drastically reduced, with only 8.7 attempts per game due to the presence of Luka, LeBron, and Austin. Felton predicted Ayton’s frustration would emerge, stating, “I said this months ago. Now we’re two months into it, and he’s crashing out, saying he needs touches. I told y’all this was going to happen.” He reiterated his belief that benching Ayton would provide him with more opportunities, saying, “Put that man on the bench. Let him come off the bench and get all the touches he wants. He’ll get more touches. Not all the touches, but more touches.#lebron_james #luka_doncic #los_angeles_lakers #deandre_ayton #raymond_felton
