Deandre Ayton must buy into reserve role with Wizards that the Lakers avoided

Washington Wizards general manager Will Dawkins announced that newly acquired center Deandre Ayton will serve as the team's backup center. Dawkins labeled Ayton as a starting-level center and called him likely the best backup in the league following an offseason trade that brought the big man to Washington.

Ayton has not played off the bench since 2020, having started 363 consecutive games and serving as a reserve in only seven of his 470 career NBA appearances. Last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, head coach JJ Redick kept Ayton in the starting lineup throughout the year.