Tag: Jaxson Hayes

Anthony Davis is questionable, Rui Hachimura is probable vs. Rockets

The Lakers may be just starting to get a little healthier.

So far this season, poor starts and a lack of defensive rebounding have plagued the 3-4 Los Angeles Lakers. However, injuries may be an even bigger problem.

Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, Rui Hachimura and rookie guard Jalen Hood-Schifino have all been out with various ailments. Even worse, the Lakers experienced a more serious injury scare when Anthony Davis tweaked his hip on Monday against the Miami Heat and was forced to leave the game in the third quarter.

Fortunately, Davis doesn’t seem to be seriously hurt. He expressed confidence he would be able to play on Wednesday versus the Houston Rockets, and he’s listed as questionable for that game. Even better, Hachimura is listed as probable, while backup center Jaxson Hayes, who missed Monday’s game, is questionable.

Hachimura has been out for L.A.’s last four games with an eye contusion while also being in concussion protocol. His return cannot come soon enough, as the team has lost considerable ground when LeBron James has gone to the bench.

Taurean Prince will return on Monday versus the Heat

The Lakers will get an important role player back from injury on Monday against the Heat.

The Los Angeles Lakers are in need of a shot in the arm. After an inspiring comeback win in overtime on Wednesday over the Los Angeles Clippers, they came out soft on Saturday and were massively outhustled in a 120-101 loss to the Orlando Magic.

One problem they have had is health. Four rotation players have been out lately: forwards Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura and Taurean Prince, as well as guard Gabe Vincent.

While Lakers head coach Darvin Ham admitted that Vanderbilt’s return will come “later rather than sooner,” Prince is slated to return to the lineup on Monday when they take on the Miami Heat.

Unfortunately, Hachimura and Vincent will still be out, and backup center Jaxson Hayes is questionable with a sprained ankle.

It’s better to have injuries early in the season rather than later, but the injuries are starting to pile up for L.A., and the resulting lack of depth could have a ripple effect. LeBron James, whose playing time was supposed to be trimmed this season, is already averaging 35.7 minutes a game partly due to the team’s lack of depth.

Watch: Jaxson Hayes denies Bobby Portis Jr. at the rim

New Lakers big man Jaxson Hayes had a spectacular swat on Bobby Portis Jr. in Sunday’s preseason game at Crypto.com Arena.

The Los Angeles Lakers took a 2-2 preseason record into their Sunday afternoon matchup versus the new and improved Milwaukee Bucks.

The Bucks made the blockbuster trade of the summer a couple of weeks ago when they shipped out Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen for future Hall of Fame guard Damian Lillard. Yet they still have much of the core that won the 2021 NBA championship, including Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, Pat Connaughton, Bobby Portis Jr. and, of course, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

One of the Lakers’ offseason additions that has flown somewhat under the radar is big man Jaxson Hayes. Hayes has the ability to be a big-time shot blocker, and he showed why in the second quarter on Sunday when he rejected Portis’ attempt near the rim.

If Hayes plays consistent, fundamental defense and boxes out aggressively, he could be a key member of head coach Darvin Ham’s rotation.

Lakers 3 goals: Jaxson Hayes can play a key role at a key position

Here are three goals that could secure Lakers big man Jaxson Hayes a major spot in the team’s rotation.

With training camp for the 2023-24 season just days away, the Los Angeles Lakers are preparing to hit the court for what could be an exciting and very successful season for them. They appear to have a stacked roster, and therefore an 18th NBA championship is a realistic goal for them once it’s all said and done next summer.

To accomplish that goal, a number of players will need to play up to their potential. Therefore, we have identified three goals for each Lakers player that, if attained, will help the team win it all.

Jaxson Hayes, an athletic 6-foot-11 big man the team signed in free agency in July, has the ability to shore up the center position, a position some feel is a relative weakness for it. These three goals could earn Hayes some significant playing time.

Buha: It will be hard for Jaxson Hayes to get rotation minutes

Despite his impressive physical talent and raw skills, Lakers center Jaxson Hayes may find it very hard to get meaningful playing time.

Months after having to deal with an incomplete and unbalanced roster that lacked depth, the Los Angeles Lakers seem to have something approaching an embarrassment of riches, especially on the offensive end.

They have arguably the NBA’s best superstar duo: LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Former All-Star D’Angelo Russell and emerging star Austin Reaves give them a strong and potent starting backcourt. Rui Hachimura is a legitimate scoring threat when they need him to be, while newcomer Christian Wood can score and stretch the floor.

Seemingly lost in the shuffle after Wood’s signing last week is Jaxson Hayes, a 6-foot-11 jumping jack that L.A. signed earlier this summer. Hayes, the No. 8 pick in the 2019 draft, didn’t pan out in four seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans, but he can block shots, run the floor and finish strong at the rim.

While Wood is undersized at the 5 and a poor defender, and while the Lakers could use a true defensive center behind Anthony Davis, Jovan Buha feels Hayes may not get anything more than spot duty.

Via The Athletic:

“Wood immediately slots in as the backup center behind Davis. The two centers will likely play most, if not all, of the 48 available minutes at the five, with a smaller player (James, Hachimura) or Hayes occasionally playing in certain matchups and blowouts. (He’ll also get minutes when Davis inevitably misses time due to injury).

“Perhaps this projection is too pessimistic with Hayes’ role. But aside from when Davis is out, where exactly are the minutes? Is he going to replace (Jarred) Vanderbilt? Is Hachimura going to have his minutes slashed? Maybe (Taurean) Prince?

“I just don’t see a realistic scenario for Hayes to get rotation minutes with a full roster. He’s clearly behind Davis, James, Hachimura, Wood, Prince and Vanderbilt in the frontcourt pecking order. Wood basically assumes all of Hayes’ minutes (10 in the previous forecast) and half of Vanderbilt’s minutes. Finding minutes for Hayes would come at the expense of Hachimura, Prince and/or Vanderbilt — a cost that, when factoring in the team’s basic needs of shooting and perimeter defense around James and Davis, doesn’t make sense.

“The Lakers will use more two-big lineups next season, but that seems more likely to happen against bench units. The challenge for the Lakers’ coaching staff is figuring out the best ways to use Wood and possibly Hayes defensively. They aren’t the same plug-and-play options that JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard were during the championship season (or even Marc Gasol and Andre Drummond, to a lesser extent, during the 2020-21 season).”

If Hayes plays his role well, the Lakers can certainly use his shot-blocking, rebounding and overall athleticism. However, absent an injury to Davis, which seems inevitable each season at this point, he may end up often being glued to the bench, partly due to his offensive limitations.

It’s a scenario Vanderbilt found himself in during the 2023 playoffs, and Buha also predicts he could have trouble getting minutes due to the addition of Prince, who is a 3-and-D wing.

Jaxson Hayes talks about a bet he once made with LeBron James

Jaxson Hayes said he and LeBron James made an interesting bet a few years ago regarding the high schools they attended in Ohio.

[anyclip pubname=”2123″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8170″]

The Los Angeles Lakers are considered by most to be championship contenders for this season. However, they have a hole at the center position.

In an attempt to plug that hole, they signed free agent big man Jaxson Hayes a few weeks ago. Hayes may not end up being a difference-maker, but his ability to block shots, run the floor and finish above the rim should definitely help.

Like his new teammate LeBron James, Hayes is an Ohioan. He went to high school in Cincinnati. He said he once made a bet with James about whose former high school would win the state championship.

“Being a kid from Ohio, I used to watch LeBron growing up. It’s definitely going to be pretty wild having LeBron as a teammate. Me and him have talked a lot throughout the years since I started playing, we had a bet a few years ago about my high school beating his high school in the state championship and then COVID shut that down. So, yeah, we never got to finish out that bet, but hopefully we can.”

Midwesterners have a special bond with each other, and perhaps Hayes and James will develop some special chemistry, especially since the big man can seriously elevate and throw down big dunks.

Lakers summer player goals: Jaxson Hayes

New Lakers center Jaxson Hayes should focus on these three things in order to secure an important spot in L.A.’s rotation.

Training camp for the 2023-24 NBA season is slowly but surely approaching, and while there is plenty of time before it begins, it’s time for players to start ramping up their training and preparation.

That’s especially true for the Los Angeles Lakers, who are hoping to win their 18th world championship next summer. They magically remade what was a broken roster in January and February, and now they’re aiming for the sky rather than just trying to tread water.

The Lakers signed free agent center Jaxson Hayes a few weeks ago, and the hope is he will supply them with athleticism, energy and defense. They reportedly have some big plans for him and working on these three things could result in those plans being a success.

Lakers feel Jaxson Hayes can start alongside Anthony Davis

The Lakers reportedly feel like they can replicate the big starting lineup they had in 2020 with Jaxson Hayes at the 5.

[anyclip pubname=”2123″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8170″]

This past season, Anthony Davis played all of his minutes at the center position. Although he had arguably his best season, there have been calls for him to start at the 4, as he did during the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship season in 2020.

The team may have given a hint it wants to do just that by signing free agent center Jaxson Hayes. Hayes is a springy 6-foot-11, 23-year-old big man who can run the floor, jump high, finish strongly and block shots, which is similar to the profile of JaVale McGee, who started at the 5 during the 2019-20 campaign.

Jovan Buha wrote the Lakers are confident Hayes can start alongside Davis this season.

Via The Athletic:

“That’s before mentioning Jaxson Hayes, who the team is confident can start and play a prominent role with Davis in two-big lineups.”

However, Buha also noted that such a lineup could be problematic.

“For the record, the Lakers’ theoretical two-big plan, which general manager Rob Pelinka has repeatedly raised as a possible look for next season, doesn’t make sense — at least not with this roster.

“Playing Davis next to Hayes and/or another center would force (LeBron) James, (Rui) Hachimura and/or (Jarred) Vanderbilt to play more small forward than ideal. Asking James, in particular, to defend high-usage wings is too taxing of a physical burden. It also would set up too many scenarios in which the Lakers likely have three non-shooters in their frontcourt. (Remember: Teams gradually helped off James when he didn’t have the ball last season and largely ignored Davis from the perimeter.)”

The thinking is a big lineup with Davis at the 4 and a true center at the 5 would make Los Angeles better defensively and on the boards. It would also relieve Davis of the need to eat up lots of minutes guarding someone such as the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic.

McMenamin: Lakers could try starting Jaxson Hayes at center

ESPN’s Dave McMenamin feels the Lakers could revert to starting Anthony Davis at the 4 by having center Jaxson Hayes start at the 5.

[anyclip pubname=”2123″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8169″]

When the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA championship during the 2019-20 season, they did so with Anthony Davis starting at power forward and splitting his time between the 4 and 5 spots.

But this past season, he played exclusively at the center position, and although the Lakers reached the Western Conference finals with him playing outstanding ball, some still believe he’d be better off moving back to the starting 4 spot.

Earlier this month, the team picked up Jaxson Hayes, a 6-foot-11 center who can block shots, rebound and finish strongly at the rim. His profile seems similar to that of JaVale McGee, who started at the 5 the year L.A. won it all.

While on “The Lowe Post” podcast, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin said that, in his opinion, it wouldn’t shock him if the Lakers at least tried starting Hayes at the 5 and Davis at the 4 this season (h/t Silver Screen and Roll).

“It would not shock me if we saw Jaxson Hayes as a starting center to open up the season to see how that looks. But that doesn’t mean that you’re not going to see Anthony Davis playing center in the fourth quarter. That’s winning time.”

Playing Davis at the 4 alongside a rim-protecting 5 would allow him to play like a free safety on defense and be more of a disruptor or switch onto an opposing team’s main offensive threat. Doing so could make the Lakers’ defense, which was already strong late last season, even better.

Jaxson Hayes says he chose the Lakers because he wants to win

Jaxson Hayes sounded like he values his craft during his introductory press conference with the Lakers.

[anyclip pubname=”2123″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8169″]

Typically, when NBA players weigh their options in free agency and decide which team to sign with, they follow the money.

It’s hard to argue against doing so: Young players want to ensure financial stability for life, not to mention generational wealth, especially since most NBA players are very family and community oriented.

But 23-year-old big man Jaxson Hayes, who made nearly $7 million this past season with the New Orleans Pelicans, decided to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers on a two-year deal that’s expected to pay him only the veteran’s minimum salary. That would mean he will make just over $2 million this coming season.

Hayes said on Thursday that fit and the opportunity to win tilted him in the Lakers’ direction.

Hayes may not end up being a big factor in Los Angeles’ success during the 2023-24 season. But the 6-foot-11 man can run the floor like a gazelle and leap as if he has springs in his legs.

That type of athleticism, not to mention his motor, could make him a nice fit for a Lakers team that loves to attack in transition and play fast, free and physical ball.