Deandre Ayton is about as far as a fan favorite as one can get in his previous stops. The Phoenix Suns shipped him out for depth pieces. The Portland Trail Blazers decided that buying him out was worth it. And through his first game or so as a member of his newest team, the Los Angeles Lakers , fans were already starting to give up on him , citing effort issues and general lethargy on the court.

But the Lakers need him now more than ever; with Luka Doncic joining LeBron James on the mend and Gabe Vincent looking like he's headed for a multi-game absence, the Purple and Gold needs someone to step up alongside Austin Reaves. That's exactly what Ayton did on Sunday night against the Sacramento Kings, as he put up his best game as a Laker, dropping 22 points, 15 boards, a steal, and a

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