With Anthony Davis shipped to Dallas in the blockbuster Luka Doncic trade and the Lakers pulling out of a deal for Mark Williams, Jaxson Hayes was suddenly thrust into a role he wasn’t quite ready for — starting center. And fans weren’t thrilled. Hayes struggled in the playoffs, drawing criticism for his lack of physicality and presence in the paint. As Robert Marvi put it, “he simply lacks the girth and strength” to be a defensive anchor. Even NBA reporter Anthony Irwin noted that the Lakers are already weighing how Hayes might respond to a potential demotion. But in the midst of all the doubt, one teammate is still in his corner: Austin Reaves.
The Lakers’ starting shooting guard was recently interviewed by ‘Lakers Nation’. During the same, he defended Hayes by stating “that first, you know, month or whatever, when Luka got there, Jaxson was one of our most, you know, important players. And he was playing at such a high level, and then, obviously, when you have a couple games that don’t go your way and, you know, kind of rotations, twists and change, then everybody wants to, you know, jump down and be like ‘Jaxson’s horrible’”. For Reaves, Hayes was one of the best players on the Lakers squad during the 2-month stretch where in the team built up their position on the points table.
Austin Reaves knows the Lakers front office—led by Rob Pelinka—is actively hunting for a dependable center this offseason. But rather than seeing Jaxson Hayes shipped off in a trade to make that happen, Reaves hopes the Lakers add a big man who can complement the 25-year-old, not replace him.
Speaking on the team’s needs, Reaves said, “I think it’s really just having another form of big… Jaxson’s the lob threat—very athletic. Isn’t that physical, but can make up for it in different ways. But then, if you have a different big that has size and strength, and can kind of bang down low, then you can play so many different kinds of ways.” Versatility, not subtraction, is what Reaves is advocating for—and it’s clear he believes a more diverse frontcourt can unlock more options for the Lakers.
This is a developing story.
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