Lakers: Reports say that Jaxson Hayes ‘can start and play a prominent role’ with LA in 2023-24

In 2019, Jaxson Hayes was selected 8th overall by the Hawks and played his first four seasons with the Pelicans. He topped out at (20.0) minutes per game for New Orleans and was never a full-time starter. When they decided to let him go this offseason, the Lakers were quick to sign Hayes. Ahead of the 2023-24 season, NBA insiders have reported that Hayes “can start and play a prominent role” for the Lakers. 

The 23-year-old center signed a two-year, $4.6 million deal with the Lakers. Last season with the Pelicans he averaged a career-low in points (5.0), rebounds (2.8), and minutes (13.0) per game. He had simply fallen out of the rotation and was used sparingly by head coach Wille Green.

Hayes is a defensive-minded player who still needs to develop his offensive skill set. At six-foot-eleven, he has the ability to focus on defense and rebounding with the talent the Lakers already have. His career-high in minutes per game is (20.0) in the 2021-22 season. We’ll have to wait and see how much head coach Darvin Ham really plans on using Hayes next season.

Report: Lakers confident Jaxson Hayes can start, play ‘prominent role’ in 2-big lineups with Anthony Davis https://t.co/ghl4YwBhz7

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 31, 2023

What will Jaxson Hayes’ role look like as a starter for the Lakers in 2023-24?

In the Lakers’ 2022-23 season,  Anthony Davis played center as his primary position. It’s something he’s done in the past and is comfortable with. However, Davis is most effective out of the PF spot where he can take advantage of his size vs smaller players. The Athletic’s Jovan Buha reported that the Lakers are confident in Hayes’s abilities as a starter next season.

Despite being four seasons into his career, Jaxson Hayes still hasn’t been given an opportunity to truly show what he can do. His career-high for points is 23 and he once had six blocks in a single game. It’s a small sample size, but Hayes could be an efficient center for the Lakers next season if given enough minutes.

Players like Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, and Taurean Prince could struggle to see the playing time they’ve seen in the past. This is all hypothetical because we haven’t seen Hayes play with the Lakers in a single game yet. If the fit is not right, he could be pulled from the starting lineup and come off the bench. That’s not what the Lakers are expecting from the former lottery pick. They’ve given him another chance to prove that he belongs in the NBA. This is by far the most talented team he’s been a part of at the professional level.