According to reports from ESPN, the Los Angeles Lakers have reached an agreement to re-sign center Jaxson Hayes to a one-year contract. This move reinforces the team`s depth at the center position and comes just a day after news emerged about the Lakers` intention to sign Deandre Ayton to a two-year deal.
Hayes, originally the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, began his career with the New Orleans Pelicans. After an inconsistent period there, he joined the Lakers in 2023. In his first season with Los Angeles (2023-24), he started only five games and averaged less than 13 minutes of playing time per contest.
Despite his limited role for much of the season, Hayes did step into a significantly larger capacity at times, exceeding initial expectations. He was even elevated to the starting center position in certain instances, likely driven by strategic decisions or other players` availability.
Over the course of the season, Hayes participated in 56 games, starting 35. During these appearances, he posted averages of 6.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.0 assists. However, his minutes saw a reduction during the playoffs, and he did not feature in the fifth and final game of the team`s first-round series loss to the Denver Nuggets.
Jasper Hawthorne