Hayes’ Season Review and Future Outlook with Lakers…
Jaxson Hayes started the season as Anthony Davis’s sidekick but turned into a star player after the Lakers’ blockbuster trade for Luka Doncic sent Davis packing. Suddenly thrust into the starting role like a Hollywood understudy who didn’t have a script, Hayes shone brightest when partnered with Doncic, his new pick-and-roll partner in crime. The trading mix-up with Mark Williams proved once again that Lakers trades can resemble thrilling soap operas. While offensively electrifying, Hayes’s struggles to protect the rim meant that come playoffs, he was benched as quickly as an extra on a movie set when the main act showed up.
The playoffs saw the Lakers try to outsmart everyone with a small-ball lineup, putting LeBron James in the center role as if expecting him to grow a few inches by the game time. Unfortunately, their plan backfired when Minnesota grabbed rebounds like it was Black Friday, leaving Hayes cheering from the sideline. Despite a sidelined postseason, Hayes’s regular season wasn’t just any plot twist; it was a game highlight with 19 points and 10 rebounds against the Pelicans, without missing a shot. Looking ahead, Hayes is set for backup duties, eagerly awaiting his chance to leap back into action like a kangaroo in basketball shoes, backing up Deandre Ayton in the Lakers’ quest for glory.
