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The Los Angeles Lakers came into the 2025 offseason looking to bolster their frontcourt rotation. A day after agreeing to terms with free agent big man Deandre Ayton, it appears as if the Lakers have their backup center. The Lakers have agreed to re-sign veteran center Jaxson Hayes via a one-year contract in free agency, as per Shams Charania of ESPN.
When gouging the free agency market in terms of available centers, Jaxson Hayes as a backup was not a bad option for the Lakers. While complete terms of the deal were not immediately available, Hayes’ contract is probably for the minimum. Hayes emerged as the team’s starting center following the departure of Anthony Davis, but saw his role diminished during the Lakers’ opening round playoff elimination against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Hayes will be entering his third season with the Lakers. He originally signed a two-year contract in free agency during the 2023 offseason, and then exercised his player option to opt-in for last season.
Hayes appeared in 56 games, including 35 starts, at a little over 19 minutes per game. He averaged 6.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists with splits of 72.2 percent shooting from the field and 62.2 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
But during the playoffs, Hayes gradually saw his role diminished to the point where he was benched by the second half of Game 4 against the Wolves. He did not see any minutes in the elimination Game 5 with JJ Redick opting to go with Maxi Kleber, who had just returned from injury, as the backup center.
In four games against the Wolves, Hayes averaged 1.8 points and 2.0 rebounds while shooting 37.5 percent from the field in a little over seven minutes per game.
Hayes was a former teammate of Redick’s back when the pair played for the New Orleans Pelicans. Hayes began his NBA career with the Pelicans, playing four seasons with the team before joining the Lakers.
