According to a report by ESPN, the Los Angeles Lakers are bringing depth at center by re-signing center Jaxson Hayes in a one-year contract.
According to the report, the one-year deal with the Lakers was achieved on Thursday, a day after the news broke about DeAndre Ayton signing with the Lakers. In the 2019 NBA draft, Hayes was the overall No. 8 pick, and he began his career with the New Orleans Pelicans. After some time, Hayes signed with the Lakers in 2023.
According to the report, both parties have agreed to a deal, but the financial terms have not been disclosed. Hayes’ representatives, Bill Duffy and Marlon Harrison of WME Basketball, concluded the deal with Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka.
In his debut season with the Lakers, he started in just five games. His per-match average time was less than 13 minutes. However, last season, he was in a much bigger role than most of us anticipated. After the trade of Luka Dončić, Hayes became the center for the Lakers. He averaged 6.8 points, a career-high 4.8 rebounds, and a career-best 1.0 assists per game across 56 games, including 35 starts for the Lakers in the 2024 season.