Head coach JJ Redick shared candid details about his conversation with Los Angeles Lakers center DeAndre Ayton about benching him towards the end of Game 2. Ayton started the game, but Redick opted to have the Lakers close the game with reserve center Jaxson Hayes on the court. Hayes just played good basketball during his minutes to make it impossible to remove him rather than anything Ayton did wrong.
Redick revealed the conversation to the media on Thursday:
“Defensively, I thought he was really good in the second half of Game 2 and hadn’t played a ton down the stretch to start the fourth. We had just had a long run, and that was during a stretch when there wasn’t a lot of dead balls, and I told him I was gonna get him out real quick, and get him back in, and then Jaxon just played great.
DA and I had a conversation today, it was: ‘You didn’t do anything, that wasn’t the reason you didn’t finish the game. The group out there was just winning.’ Jaxson was doing a great job.”
Redick went out of his way to make sure that Ayton and the media knew that he did nothing bad on his end to get benched. Ayton has made plenty of mistakes this season, but he’s done a good job with his center minutes through two first-round games.
Expect JJ Redick To Keep Splitting Center Minutes
The Lakers must make a lot of big decisions about the rotation with both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves injured. LeBron James has returned to his familiar position running the offense and being the best player on the team.
Ayton and Hayes both have arguments for their minutes to warrant keep giving them both playing time. Hayes looked great down the stretch to make baskets in the paint more difficult for Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant to easily score during difficult times.
Redick will likely play with the hot hand moving forward, but Ayton typically gets the most important minutes starting and closing the game. Hayes must have a stellar game and make game changing to plays to stay in the game longer than expected at the end.
DeAndre Ayton’s Career Riding On Playoff Results
The Lakers signed Ayton to a two-year contract worth about $8 million each season. However, Ayton has an opt out clause to become a free agent this offseason if he wants to test the market with hopes for a long-term deal.
A bad postseason would see Ayton having fewer teams willing to give him a chance, but good play could land him a better contract for his future. Lackluster results with the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers led to him taking a cheaper deal to join the Lakers.
This season has given Ayton some great moments of putting up strong rebound numbers and effectively defending the opposing team’s center. Unfortunately, there are also games where Ayton was benched and blamed for some glaring mistakes. Ayton must find a way to remain consistent in the playoffs and prove he can contribute to winning basketball.
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