It took all of one game for some Los Angeles Lakers fans to turn on their biggest addition from the offseason.
The Lakers added Deandre Ayton this summer for next to nothing after the Portland Trail Blazers bought out the former No. 1 overall pick. Many felt like it was a savvy, low-risk move that could help fill the huge void the team has at the center spot.
Ayton had a ho-hum stat line in his Lakers debut Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors. He finished with 10 points on 5/7 shooting to go along with 6 rebounds and a block in a 119-109 home defeat inside
Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif.
But while Ayton’s numbers weren’t terrible, they didn’t tell the whole story. The big man repeatedly settled for fading hook shots rather than using his muscular frame to get to the basket. He also committed four turnovers after bobbling several entry passes that should have led to easy paint buckets.
The Lakers fans in attendance started groaning collectively with every botched Ayton post-up. Several folks on social media pointed out how quickly the team’s supporters seemed to sour on Ayton, just one game into the season.
what’s the fastest you’ve seen a team’s fan base decide they hate their new player because deandre ayton and lakers fans might be making a run at that record lol
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) October 22, 2025
They're mad at Ayton, and the free trial isn't even over 😭
— Kofie (@Kofie) October 22, 2025
Deandre Ayton already making me mad and its only game one pic.twitter.com/qm0KSsNLY3
— 🧘🏾♂️ (@bdrip1k) October 22, 2025
Deandre Ayton has played half a game for the Los Angeles Lakers and I can assure you rn. This man will got down as the most hated laker of all time😭 pic.twitter.com/GfXgSXu6FH
— The Jenius🕺🏻 (@JeniusSports) October 22, 2025
Other fans were comparing Ayton to Kwame Brown, another center picked first overall who failed to live up to expectations. Brown famously had a brief and forgettable stint with the Lakers that began exactly 20 years ago.
Luka and Deandre Ayton pic.twitter.com/N4CJeAyxak
— Double H (@DoubleH_YT) October 22, 2025
Deandre Ayton in peak Kwame Brown form pic.twitter.com/wSjRd5muxz
— WD (@wdmt07) October 22, 2025
The Lakers desperately needed a third option behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, which many expected Ayton to become, as LeBron James tries to overcome his sciatica.
Doncic finished with 43 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists, while Reaves added 26 points and 9 assists of his own. While Ayton did finish with the third-most points on the night, he was far from a third star. Ironically, Ayton shared that he joined the Lakers specifically because he thought he could play well off Luka.
The early returns say otherwise.
