The Los Angeles Lakers remain one of the top contenders for the NBA championship this season, holding a 46-29 record and sitting in the fourth seed in the Western Conference.
A major reason for their success has been the arrival of Luka Doncic, who was acquired in a blockbuster trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks. Doncic has been a game-changer for LA, but he’s not the only Laker stepping up.
One of the unsung heroes of the team has been Jaxson Hayes, who has continued to impress in Davis’ absence. The 7-foot center is averaging 7.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in 50 games, and while his stats might not jump off the page, his impact on the floor has been crucial. So much that it has caught the eye of four-time MVP LeBron James.
First of all, I gotta give a big, big shoutout and credit to Jaxson Hayes, man,” James said. “Him stepping into that void after losing AD? That’s a lot… That’s a lot of scoring, a lot of defensive protection, a lot of rebounding, a lot of blocked shots.”
James added, “But I think Jaxson was like, ‘I can’t make up for that,’ and we didn’t ask him to. We needed Jaxson to bring high energy, to be a force on offense—run the floor, set great screens, be a lob threat. But he’s just made great decisions. He’s been able to catch it in the pocket, stay balanced, either dunk it home or find guys on the perimeter.
The former eighth overall pick was originally selected by the Atlanta Hawks in 2019 but was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, where he spent four seasons and played in 243 games.
As the Lakers gear up for the postseason, they will hope Hayes continues to be a key contributor in their pursuit of their first NBA title since 2020.
