DeAndre Ayton bounced back with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies after being benched late on Friday. With an improved number, it was quite surprising for folks to see him blaming his teammates for those previous lackluster outings.
The Lakers big man had just four points and six rebounds in 25 minutes during Friday’s loss, which resulted first fourth-quarter benching this season. Head coach JJ Redick didn’t mince words about the root cause of Ayton’s struggles.
Redick revealed his starting center was “frustrated” with limited offensive touches. The second-year Lakers coach explained that when Ayton doesn’t get the ball, his entire game suffers. His complaint looked eerily familiar to what plagued him in Phoenix.
Following Sunday’s improved performance, Ayton addressed Redick’s comments head-on. He said, “Bigs can’t feed themselves. I just try my best, do what I can to bring effort, and I trust my playmakers out there to find me.”
Ayton taking shots at his teammates for not passing him the ball:
“Bigs can’t feed themselves.” 😳 pic.twitter.com/b18ZU7slvt
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) January 5, 2026
Ayton’s production has declined significantly recently, averaging 11.6 points over his last 10 games, which is five points less than his first 10 matches. That shows why Lakers opted to sit him for most of the fourth quarter Friday and sent Jaxson Hayes instead. According to Redick, breakdowns on both sides contributed to the disconnect.
Fans React as DeAndre Ayton Complains Guards Won’t Feed Him
Ayton’s controversial postgame remarks about bigs needing guards to feed them have since turned viral online. NBA fans brutally torched him for waiting to get the ball from teammates rather than creating options by himself.
One fan wrote, “Why? You are not lakers eyecandy.”
Another fan added, “I told Laker fans yall are not gonna stand him soon. Once he aint getting the ball much hes gonna complain. It was the same shit in Phoenix thats why he wanted out.”
A third fan claimed, “Bigs need to rebound. Soft a–.”
The fourth one added, “His attitude has low key been [trash] all year. All that I’m thankful just to be on the lakers is a sarcastic act.”
A fifth fan remarked, “I know he ain’t asking to get the rock.”
The sixth fan noted, “He’ll be out of the league in 3 to 4 yrs. Dude is high off delusion. He’s decent that’s it.”
Phoenix Suns traded Ayton in 2023. Later, the Portland Trail Blazers let him go in 2025, even though they had to pay him $25 million while he didn’t play for them. Now, with Lakers, he is not showing any improvement either. Questions about his focus and engagement have followed him throughout his NBA journey.
Redick said it’s normal for players to lose focus when they don’t get the ball, calling it “human nature.” He added that both Ayton and the Lakers’ guards need to work on their chemistry.
His squad locked Memphis to below 40% shooting in the second half on Sunday, with Ayton blocking three shots. But this one flashy game cannot guarantee a real turning point. That’s why fans are not convinced with his complaints.
