Deandre Ayton has helped the Los Angeles Lakers solidify their frontcourt this season.
While the summer move did not get much praise from analysts, Ayton has quickly settled in and is having a strong start to his Lakers tenure.
He’s even on pace to top a milestone that took him 40 games to hit with Portland last year.
Still, there is one stat that will stand out to the Dallas Mavericks, especially when you compare Ayton’s numbers to Anthony Davis’ production.
Deandre Ayton has logged more minutes for the Lakers than Anthony Davis has for the Mavericks
Back in February, Los Angeles and Dallas struck a deal that sent Anthony Davis to the Mavericks.
In return, LA received Luka Doncic. While Doncic has fitted in quickly, Davis’ time in Dallas has been disrupted by injuries.
To cover the gap left by Davis, LA brought in Ayton over the summer. In just 15 games with his new team, he has already logged 425 minutes.
It is ten minutes more than the 415 AD has managed for the Mavericks since February 2025.
Both players have appeared in 14 games for their respective new teams. However, Ayton reached this mark significantly faster than the former NBA champion.
Anthony Davis could be traded by the Dallas Mavericks
Davis’ time with the Mavericks has not gone as expected, as he remains out due to injury.
With that in mind, there are strong rumors circulating that the Mavs might move Davis before this season’s NBA Trade Deadline.
Even though former majority owner Mark Cuban has dismissed these claims, it would not be shocking if the team decided to tear down their current core and begin a rebuild.
If that happens, one potential move could be sending Davis to the Golden State Warriors in return for Jonathan Kuminga.
Kuminga also had his own disagreements with the Warriors over the summer, which adds another layer to this possible deal.
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