Jaxson Hayes Opts into Player Option with the Lakers

Six-year NBA big man Jaxson Hayes has officially signed a 2.4-million-dollar player option with the Los Angeles Lakers. The former lottery pick is coming off career lows in minutes, free throw percentages, and points but has shown flashes of having the ability to be a good role player on competitive teams. Hayes is amongst the most athletic centers in the NBA and can excel as a lob threat if given the right point guard and system.

Hayes played for the Los Angeles Lakers last season, and it wasn’t the best move for his personal growth. The Lakers had a deep big-man rotation with Anthony Davis, Christian Wood, and Jarred Vanderbilt, and there just weren’t enough minutes for Hayes to flourish. The Lakers preferred to play veterans rather than their young players, making it so that all of their players under 24 would rarely see the floor. That said, Hayes had games where he was electric in translation and made great defensive plays. The hope for the Lakers with this Hayes signing is that he can help them become more athletic in their frontcourt and can help them keep up with teams like the Dallas Mavericks or the Boston Celtics.

One positive from Hayes's 2023-24 season was that he shot a career-high 72% from the field. This would've ranked number two in the NBA if he had qualified for the list. Jaxson Hayes is still only 24 years old, he is nowhere near a finished product just yet. Every NBA season there is a role-player that breaks out and becomes one of the key components for a team. For example, Derrick Jones Jr broke out this season for the Dallas Mavericks and is now one of the best role players in the NBA on one of the best contracts. Keep an eye out for Hayes this season.