Jaxson Hayes has been the starting center for the Los Angeles Lakers in all three games of their opening-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, his inclusion in the starting five doesn`t necessarily imply full confidence from the team. Despite these starts, Hayes has not played more than 10 minutes in any single game of the series so far. During the approximately 26 minutes he`s been on the court across three games, the Lakers have been outscored by 18 points. His struggles with offensive execution and poor positioning on defense have been noticeable from the outset of the series.
As a result, with Game 4 approaching on Sunday, the Lakers are reportedly open to making an adjustment to their starting lineup. According to JJ Redick, “We`ll look at everything,” though he added, “but we still believe in Jaxson.”
Any remaining belief in Hayes seems rooted in necessity rather than strong performance. The Lakers have limited viable options at the center position, especially after their decision not to proceed with a rumored trade involving Mark Williams. The mid-season addition of Alex Len did not pan out. Furthermore, two-way players Trey Jemison and Christian Koloko were not converted to standard contracts, making them ineligible to participate in the postseason. Compounding the Lakers` issues, they have been significantly outscored in the paint, trailing by 42 points over the first three games.
If Hayes is unable to provide meaningful contributions near the basket, it`s unclear what value he brings to the Lakers. The challenge is exacerbated by the fact that alternative lineups deployed by the Lakers haven`t fared significantly better. The team has utilized six different lineups for at least six minutes each during this series. Only one of these combinations – featuring the regular starters with Gabe Vincent and Dorian Finney-Smith replacing Hayes and Rui Hachimura – has registered a positive net rating.
The lineup most frequently used besides the original starters, which includes Finney-Smith in place of Hayes alongside the other starters, has played 43 minutes but has been outscored by 12 points in the current series. Despite this, this grouping remains the most probable candidate for an alternate starting lineup, primarily because that same unit performed strongly during the regular season, outscoring opponents by 48 points over 108 minutes.
Ultimately, there is no simple or perfect solution to the Lakers` lineup dilemma. Starting Hayes effectively means playing with a significant handicap (akin to playing 4-on-5). Opting to start Finney-Smith, Vincent, or Jarred Vanderbilt would likely escalate a current size disadvantage into a more pronounced mismatch. The Lakers` roster has fundamental flaws and lacks depth. Weaknesses will be present regardless of the configuration. The primary goal is to minimize these deficiencies sufficiently for their advantage in ball-handling and guard play to potentially carry them to victory.
Jasper Hawthorne