"Turn them into superstars, make them bigger than their roles" - Deandre Ayton hails LeBron James and Luka Doncic with heartfelt remark

The LA Lakers introduced the latest additions to the roster, Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia, on Tuesday. Ayton had a heartfelt remark about playing with LeBron James and Luka Doncic, praising their ability to make their teammates better. The former No. 1 pick will look to set his career path straight after two disappointing seasons in Portland.

Speaking to reporters in their introductory press conference, Ayton is looking forward to playing with James and Doncic, whom he believes will give him a chance to return to his best.

"They both average about nine assists over their career span, and just the type of players they create with their teammates," Ayton said, according to Spectrum's Mike Trudell. "They turn them into superstars, they make them bigger than their roles, they make them very important on the floor. Just seeing that and finally getting the chance to go in and experience that would be big for me. Just getting me back to my full form of how I used to play."

The LA Lakers were desperate to acquire a big man this offseason but seemingly struck out at every turn. Brook Lopez signed with the LA Clippers, Clint Capela and Steven Adams chose the Houston Rockets, Myles Turner went to Milwaukee, and teams were putting a high price on their centers.

However, the Lakers were given a lifeline when Deandre Ayton became available after negotiating a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers. Ayton was immediately linked to the purple and gold, not just because of their need, but the big man shared an agent with Luka Doncic.

Now, Ayton gets to play alongside his friend, as well as LeBron James. They still lack depth, and the Western Conference just got tougher.

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Deandre Ayton ready to prove his doubters wrong

Deandre Ayton ready to prove his doubters wrong. (Photo: IMAGN)

After arriving in Portland with a lot of fanfare, Deandre Ayton faced criticism after two underwhelming seasons there. Ayton struggled with injuries and failed to make adjustments when things didn't go his way.

There were questions about his drive to win, but it seems like the fire in him was reignited following his arrival in Los Angeles.

"(Criticism) fuels me up completely," Ayton said. "And it's a different type of drive that I've been wanting to express for a long time. I think this is the perfect timing, here in the purple and gold. And it's a platform I cannot run from."

The pressure on Ayton to perform is huge, since he's a Laker now. It probably helps that his style of play fits in with Luka Doncic, who's reportedly in great shape heading into next season.