The Los Angeles Lakers opted to remain mostly quiet at the NBA trade deadline, swinging a deal for Luke Kennard of the Atlanta Hawks but not doing much to address their bigger concerns. Meanwhile, Jaxson Hayes embarrassed the team over All-Star weekend with his performance at the NBA Slam Dunk contest in Los Angeles.
Recently, reports surfaced that Hayes was applying for Slovenian citizenship, which would allow him to compete alongside Luka Doncic in international competition, and now, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst is speculating on what that could mean for Hayes' future with the Lakers.
“Jaxson Hayes completed the paperwork to become a Slovenian,” Windhorst said, per the Hoop Collective Podcast on YouTube, via Heavy. “He can join the Slovenian national team for Luka, which I’d like to say is one of the smartest things Jaxson Hayes has ever done because I think he’s just secretly signed a contract extension.”
Of course, Windhorst doesn't mean that Hayes literally signed a contract extension with the Lakers, but rather that his growing alignment with Doncic signals good things about his future prospects in Los Angeles.
Hayes has been a mixed bag for the Lakers this year, at times looking like an ideal roll partner for Doncic due to his springy athleticism, but also leaving fans puzzled with his questionable decision-making and defensive instincts, or lack thereof.
Many expect the Lakers to retool their roster in the upcoming offseason, at which point LeBron James may or may not elect to return to the team. With James' salary either off the books or at a much lower figure, the Lakers will be able to construct a more sensible roster around Doncic, which could include pairing him with a player more similar to Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford, who proved to be great fits with him on the Dallas Mavericks.
The Lakers will next hit the floor on Friday vs the Los Angeles Clippers.
