An unexpected war of words broke out between Lakers big man Deandre Ayton and veteran center Clint Capela this week.
The drama began after a report on Ayton’s time with the Lakers revealed that he was unhappy with his role in Los Angeles. “They're trying to make me Clint Capela,” Ayton was overheard saying as he walked to the locker room after his postgame interview following a loss to the Magic. “I'm not no Clint Capela!”
The line immediately grabbed the attention of the basketball internet, as it’s rare to see such a direct shot fired at another active player. Ayton’s role in Los Angeles might not be what he thought it would be when he joined the squad, but there’s nothing wrong with playing a role like Capela, who has served as a reliable big on successful teams for a decade now.
After another tough loss for the Lakers on Thursday night at the hands of the Suns, Capela fired back with a post on Instagram, in which he implied to Ayton that given he’s teammates with two of “the best floor generals in the game,” playing a role might be best for him at the moment.
Clint Capela’s IG story. 🤣💀 pic.twitter.com/qoZVx04Kyt
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 27, 2026
It didn’t help that Ayton had a rough night against the Suns, putting up a game-worst -24 plus/minus on the night in a game the Lakers lost by just three points. Capela, meanwhile, put in another solid day in his role with the Rockets.
It’s unfortunate for Ayton that a moment of frustration turned into a storyline, but at the same time, it’s a good reminder that in the NBA everyone has a role to play. With LeBron and Luka leading the way, the Lakers could sure use a player like Capela to anchor the team’s defense under the basket. It might not be the role that Ayton wants to play, but it may put Los Angeles in its best position to succeed.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Clint Capela Fires Back At Lakers’ Deandre Ayton After Random Slight .
