The Lakers dropped their season opener on Tuesday night against Stephen Curry's Warriors. Luka Dončić was spectacular in putting up 43 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists but didn't get enough help in the second half to avoid the loss. It's hard to make any sweeping conclusions about the contest given the significant absence of LeBron James. However, it did quickly become clear that the Lakers' ballhandlers would need some time to adjust to playing with Deandre Ayton.
Ayton was signed for a pittance over the offseason after getting released by the Trail Blazers to give Los Angeles a big presence in the middle; the roster's lack of size was a glaring issue in their playoff series loss to the Timberwolves. It's been a few years since the 2019 No. 1 pick has meaningfully impacted winning but Dončić and James are such gifted passers it was widely assumed that Ayton would at least be able to run a threatening pick-and-roll from the outset.
