Hernández: Can LeBron James help maddening Deandre Ayton transform int

The Lakers found their next starting center, and they didn’t have to give up Austin Reaves to land him.

There’s a reason why.

As athletic and skilled as Deandre Ayton is for a 7-footer, he’s better known at this stage of his career for his shortcomings.

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His maddening inconsistency. His uninspired defense. His lack of motivation. His inability to stay healthy.

If you didn’t like Anthony Davis, you’re going to hate Ayton. Davis was always accountable or at very least not tone deaf, which Ayton apparently is.

“I got nothing to prove in this league,” Ayton once told veteran NBA reporter Mark Medina. “I’m a max player, and I’ll continue to be a max player.”

Little wonder the Portland Trail Blazers officially gave up on Ayton during the weekend by buying out his contract, opening the door for the Lakers to pick him up at a bargain price.

The Lakers are wagering they can do what the Trail Blazers, and the Phoenix Suns before them, couldn’t.

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They are betting they can start the engine inside of Ayton and keep it roaring.

From a physical and technical standpoint, Ayton is capable of being the player the Lakers need him to be. However, most athletes who don’t already have something burning inside of them at 26 don’t suddenly discover fire at 27, which is how old Ayton will be later this month.

Read more: Lakers agree to terms with former Portland center Deandre Ayton

Which is why the Lakers should be grateful they still have LeBron James.

Who better to show a chronic underachiever how to maximize his gifts than a player preparing for a record 23rd season? Conversely, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer can’t inspire Ayton, who or what will?

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The 40-year-old James will give the Lakers a chance to reach Ayton, which, in turn, will give them a chance to…