Ayton: The criticism inspired me; I can show my true self in the Lakers

On Tuesday local time, Lakers' new aid DeAndre Aiton attended the Lakers' new aid conference and talked about the criticism he has been suffering.

Aiton said: "This inspired me and cheered me up completely. It was another motivation I had wanted to express for a long time. I felt that now was the best time, wearing a purple and gold jersey. It was a platform that I could not refuse. I could show my true self, and be with some great players, and show it better. It gave me a lot of motivation to prove myself to the world."

After the free market opened this year, Aiton first reached a buyout agreement with the Trail Blazers, and then signed a two-year, $16.6 million contract with the Lakers as a free agent. In the 2024-25 season, Ayton played 40 games for the Trail Blazers, averaging 30.2 minutes per game, scoring 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.0 blocks, shooting percentage of 56.6% and three-point shooting percentage of 18.8%.