The Los Angeles Lakers brought center Jaxson Hayes back into the mix as a free agent this offseason, returning him to a much more familiar backup role. Hayes was thrust into the starter spot last season after the Luka Doncic trade and after the attempt to trade for Mark Williams fell through. It was clear that head coach JJ Redick liked Hayes, but not as a 25-30-minute player.
Hayes has played in 51 games for the Lakers this season, starting in seven of them. He’s averaging 17.3 minutes per game and is shooting 77.0% from the field with 4.0 rebounds per game. He has been exactly what Redick and the Lakers have asked him to be off the bench behind Deandre Ayton, even getting some opportunities to close out games.
Redick has now worked with Hayes both as a coach and a player, spending 1.5 seasons with him on the New Orleans Pelicans when the big man was a rookie. And he explained exactly what he likes about Hayes as a player.
”Jaxson’s had a really good season,” Redick said after the team’s recent win over the Pelicans. “I know I played with him his first two years. He’s a better basketball player. He’s gotten better.
“He’s making touch shots around the rim. He’s making great pocket decisions. He’s a good basketball player that, frankly, he consistently injects energy into the group when he runs the floor, blocks a shot or gets those dunks.”
Hayes has established himself as a quality backup center over his years with the Lakers, even if they are still searching for the answer at starting center. Redick seems to very much appreciate the energy that Hayes brings to the game, while recognizing some of the flaws that prevent him from being a full-time starter, the way it was last season.
He is slated to be a free agent again this offseason, and it remains to be seen if the Lakers will work to bring him back to back-up whoever is starting at the position for L.A.
JJ Redick embraces outside noise with Lakers
Redick is in his second season with the Lakers, and he’s seeing just how much attention is devoted to the purple and gold. He spoke about what it’s like for unexpected moments to go viral while at the helm of the franchise.
“It just feels normal, which is probably part of the reason I wanted to coach the Lakers,” Redick said before the team’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans. “I was talking with Luka about it, we were actually laughing about it. I was like, ‘I didn’t feel any tension,’ and he was like, ‘Nah, I didn’t care about it.’ You do it and you move on.
“But I think the reality is, everybody is always gonna have an opinion. Since pro spots have existed, everybody has always had an opinion. Sports talk, barber shops, chat rooms, everybody’s had an opinion. Now, everybody’s opinion is more easily accessible. So it’s more amplified now. But it’s normal.”
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