Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton raised eyebrows this week when he was heard saying in the Lakers locker room his team is "trying to make me Clint Capela."

Those remarks have indeed gotten back to Capela.

The Houston Rockets center took a playful shot at Ayton Thursday night via his Instagram story. Sharing an ESPN post that contained Ayton's comments, Capela wrote "U got 2 of the best floor general in the game my dawg Lockinnn" and included two crying from laughter emojis.

More: Deandre Ayton isn't Clint Capela. But it's what he and Lakers need | Opinion

Capela's comments went up roughly around the time when the Lakers' game against the Suns was concluding. Los Angeles lost a heartbreaker, 113-110, as Phoenix's Royce O'Neale hit a 3-pointer in the final seconds. Ayton struggled mightily in the contest.

Clint Capela’s IG story. 🤣💀 pic.twitter.com/qoZVx04Kyt

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 27, 2026

Fresh off saying he was "Not no Clint Capela," following the Lakers' prior game, Ayton went out and scored just 2 points on 1-for-3 shooting. He added just 4 rebounds in his 23 minutes.

The performance, coinciding with the Lakers' third consecutive loss, is not likely to quiet down the conversation around the former No. 1 overall pick.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Clint Capela hits back at Deandre Ayton as Lakers center struggles