Tag: Jaxson Hayes

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.

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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.

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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.

What the experts are saying about the Lakers’ free agent moves

Here is what some pundits in the national media are saying about how the Lakers have done in free agency.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ main objective heading into free agency this year was to retain as much of their core as possible. They achieved that goal by getting Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell to agree to new contracts without overpaying for them.

Guards Dennis Schroder and Lonnie Walker IV, both of whom played key roles throughout the season, left as free agents. But the Lakers may have found a replacement for Schroder by signing Gabe Vincent, who helped the Miami Heat reach the NBA Finals with some gritty play at both ends of the court.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles added wings Taurean Prince, who is considered a 3-and-D forward, and Cam Reddish, who is considered to have untapped potential. The center position remains a weakness, but the team agreed to terms with Jaxson Hayes, an athletic and energetic 6-foot-11 big man.

All in all, it has been a very solid free agency period for the Lakers so far. Here is what some pundits in the national media are saying about how the team has done.

Center Jaxson Hayes agrees to sign with the Lakers

The Lakers have agreed to terms with center Jaxson Hayes in order to fill their thinnest position.

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The Los Angeles Lakers had a solid first day of free agency. They upgraded at the wing and forward spots by signing 6-foot-7 Taurean Prince, a 3-and-D player, and by taking a chance on former lottery pick Cam Reddish, a player they have targeted for a while.

They added Gabe Vincent, a plucky guard who just helped the Miami Heat reach the NBA Finals. Additionally, they re-signed Rui Hachimura, one of the key midseason acquisitions that turned the 2022-23 campaign around for them and one of their biggest priorities this offseason.

However, a big hole remained at the center spot. Anthony Davis was their only player under contract who could ably play the position.

In an attempt to fill that hole, Los Angeles agreed to a two-year deal with center Jaxson Hayes.

Hayes hasn’t put up big numbers in his four NBA seasons, but at 6-foot-11, he is an active center who can rebound, play a little defense and finish strong at the rim off lob passes.

Pelicans’ Jaxson Hayes named ‘sleeper’ target for Bulls in free agency

As the Chicago Bulls look to improve their roster, New Orleans Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes could be a “sleeper” target in free agency.

The Chicago Bulls will need to make a number of roster tweaks this summer if they hope to make the playoffs next year. They were eliminated in the play-in tournament this past season, but Arturas Karnisovas seems intent on making the current core work.

For that to happen, he will need to seriously adjust the roster around Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic or next year will bring more of the same. One of the top priorities should be adding a backup big man who can play a different role than the one Vucevic and Andre Drummond play.

According to Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, New Orleans Pelicans big man Jaxson Hayes could be a sleeper target for the Bulls in free agency this summer as they look to add more athleticism.

“Frontcourt athleticism should be a priority for Chicago this summer,” Buckley wrote. “Jaxson Hayes hasn’t established much during his first four seasons, which is why he might be available for cheap, but the fact that he’s one of the Association’s more athletically gifted bigs is obvious.”

Hayes’ mobility even makes him a potential candidate to play some power forward minutes, per Buckley.

“Hayes is so athletic that he can shift down to the 4 spot and hang with stretch forwards without any issues,” Buckley wrote. “He has even dabbled in distance shooting at times (20 3s on 35.1% shooting in 2021-22), which could make it even easier to play him alongside another big without sacrificing spacing or mobility.”

If the Bulls can pry Hayes from the Pelicans for a reasonable price, he could be a nice project for them.

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Every former Longhorn in the 2023 NBA playoffs

Texas is well-represented in the NBA playoffs.

The University of Texas is well-represented in the 2023 NBA playoffs. Seven former Longhorns are set to participate in postseason play.

The NBA play-in tournament takes place from April 11-14, while the rest of the playoff bracket begins on April 15.

The playoffs consist of four rounds of best-of-seven series. The first round matches the top seed against the eighth seed, the second seed against the seventh seed, the third seed against the sixth seed, and the fourth seed against the fifth seed. The winners of each first-round series advance to the second round, until the two conference champions meet in the NBA Finals.

At least one former Longhorn has played in the NBA finals in 11 out of the last 12 seasons. PJ Tucker most recently earned his first championship as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021.

13-time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant is eyeing his third career NBA title, this time as a member of the Phoenix Suns.

Here is a complete look at all seven former Texas Longhorns gearing up to compete in the NBA playoffs.

Trades that make a lot of sense: Kyrie Irving to the Lakers and more

With free agency just three days away, HoopsHype’s salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan came up with several trades he’d like to share.

With free agency just three days away, HoopsHype’s salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan came up with several trades he’d like to share.

Trades that make a lot of sense: Kyrie Irving to the Lakers and more

With free agency just three days away, HoopsHype’s salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan came up with several trades he’d like to share.

New mock trade has Sixers acquiring big man Jaxson Hayes from Pelicans

A new mock trade has the Philadelphia 76ers acquiring Jaxson Hayes from the New Orleans Pelicans.

The offseason is now here as it has come much earlier than expected for the Philadelphia 76ers. After swinging for the fences to acquire James Harden back at the deadline in February, they once again fell in the second round of the playoffs.

This is now the fourth time in five seasons that the Sixers couldn’t get past Round 2 in the postseason. The Harden-Joel Embiid duo was formidable, but the roster is still flawed and that is where the questions arise about this team.

One of them is the bench unit and who is going to back up Embiid. In the Harden trade, Philadelphia had to include Andre Drummond in the deal and the Sixers then signed DeAndre Jordan to back up the big fella.

The Jordan minutes in the playoffs were tough and then there were times where Paul Reed played well, but he fouled too much. Therefore, the Sixers are once again on the hunt for a backup center.

In a mock trade performed by Bleacher Report, the Sixers call up the New Orleans Pelicans and move Reed and Furkan Korkmaz for the athletic Jaxson Hayes:

It’s no secret that the Sixers will go shopping for a backup center this offseason, and preferably one not at the end of his career, either.

Hayes should be available, especially if Zion Williamson can return to a New Orleans frontcourt that already features Jonas Valanciunas, Herbert Jones and Larry Nance Jr.

The 21-year-old still has plenty of upside and is a good enough outside shooter to keep driving lanes open for James Harden, Tyrese Maxey and others.

Hayes averaged 9.3 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 35.1% from deep in the 2021-22 season. He is reliable and he fits today’s era with his athleticism and his ability to run the floor as well as shoot the ball to open driving lanes for the heavy lifters.

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Mikal Bridges and Jaxson Hayes exchanging these two unbelievable blocks against each other will leave you in awe

These plays are just unreal.

It’s always amazing to see teams going back and forth in an up-and-down NBA game.

Sometimes, that takes the form of one team coming down and hitting a tough jumper like this one from Devin Booker that got him some dap from a baby. Or maybe it’s two players hitting each other with incredible crossovers. At times, it could even be two back-to-back dunks against each other that are pretty spectacular.

Typically, though, those amazing back-and-forths come on the offensive end of the floor. Rarely do we see it happening defensively.

But on Tuesday night? Mikal Bridges and Jaxson Hayes gave us an absolute delight of a block party during Game 2 of the Suns and Pelicans series.

Just incredible plays all around, man. This is one of the best sequences we’ve seen all year and it’s not close. The displays of athleticism here are spectacular on both sides.

First of all, Bridges absolutely swatting Hayes’ shot straight up while standing at 6’6 is a sight to behold. Hayes measures in at 6’11. That’s a full five inches he has on Bridges, who clearly just showed us why he was in the running for Defensive Player of the Year — again.

But then there’s Hayes’ block, which might be a bit more spectacular. I mean, this dude goes up and literally grabs Bridges’ shot on the other in with TWO hands. TWO.

Look at this, y’all.

This display of athleticism is just ridiculous, man. It shouldn’t be possible, yet here we are.

I guess that’s why they say the NBA is where amazing happens. Because, well, there’s not a better way to describe what we just witnessed here. I don’t know about y’all, but I wouldn’t mind 7 games of this at all.