So apparently Deandre Ayton is now a Laker, and the internet is having a field day with it. Like, imagine telling someone back in 2018—right after the draft—that both Luka and Ayton would end up on the Lakers together at age 26. You’d probably get laughed out of the room, but here we are. People are mostly just stunned, in that “how did this happen?” kind of way, and a lot of the comments are basically jokes about how unpredictable this all feels. Some folks are even cracking wise about how this must be a dream come true for Photoshop nerds who used to put every top pick in a Lakers jersey back in the day.
But not everyone’s excited. A few people are rolling their eyes, especially when thinking about Ayton’s track record. There’s this running joke about how LeBron might literally murder him, which got a ton of upvotes, so clearly people are half-joking but also half-serious. The concern is effort—like, will Ayton actually show up and play hard every night, or will he coast on the money and the spotlight? Some people think this is the perfect situation for him to finally turn things around, with LeBron and Luka basically spoon-feeding him opportunities. Others aren’t so sure, comparing him to past disappointments like Ben Simmons and joking that if he doesn’t step up, he’ll be out of the league in a couple years.
And then there’s the meme factor. A lot of people are convinced that the Lakers’ front office, specifically Rob Pelinka, signed Ayton at least partly for the memes. Because let’s be real, the Lakers have a history of being a drama-filled, meme-friendly franchise, and Ayton fits right into that. People are already predicting how ESPN will be shouting “AYTON NEEDS TO STEP UP!” every few weeks, and how Shaq will be clowning him on TV. There’s even a joke about how JJ Redick, the coach, might have an aneurysm trying to get Ayton to care.
Money-wise, there’s some confusion and even a little shade thrown at Shams Charania, the ESPN reporter who broke the story. Some people are questioning how exactly the numbers add up—like, is Ayton really making $34 million next season or is it a bit less? There’s also a bit of a dig at Shams himself, with people saying he’s not quite as sharp or reliable as the old-school NBA reporting legend Woj. But honestly, most folks are just rolling with it, making jokes about how this whole thing feels like some kind of alternate reality.
And then there’s the Lakers’ roster itself. Some are saying they now have all five positions covered, which is technically impressive, but others are poking fun at how it kind of looks like they just threw a bunch of expensive pieces together and hope it works. There’s even a sarcastic comment about how “filling your roster with only shooting guards is so in right now,” which got a lot of upvotes because, well, it’s kind of true.
Overall, it’s a mix of disbelief, dark humor, cautious optimism, and a whole lot of “wait, what?” energy. People are watching this like it’s a reality show—half expecting drama, half hoping for a redemption arc, and fully ready to meme the hell out of every twist and turn.
