Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Set for re-evaluation next week
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Head coach JJ Redick said Tuesday that Hayes is working on strengthening his right ankle, and the Lakers plan to provide an update on his status next week, Daniel Starkand of LakersNation.com reports.
Hayes has missed the Lakers' last nine games with what the team has labeled a right ankle sprain/contusion. The 24-year-old center appears to be ramping back up again, but he still looks set to miss another handful of games before potentially returning to action in the final week of December or in early January. Christian Koloko should continue to serve as the primary backup to Anthony Davis while Hayes is sidelined.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Will miss time
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Hayes (ankle) is expected to be sidelined 2-to-3 weeks, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
Hayes returned from a six-game absence in Tuesday's game against the Suns and aggravated his sprained right ankle. The backup big man missed the team's last two games as a result and is now expected to be sidelined until mid-December. His earliest possible return date is seemingly Dec. 19 versus the Kings following the league's in-season tournament. In his absence, Rui Hachimura figures to continue being the prime source of depth in Los Angeles' frontcourt, while Christian Koloko and Max Christie could also see some extra run in the rotation. When healthy, Hayes is averaging 6.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.8 blocks across 17.5 minutes per game.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Not playing Friday
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Hayes (ankle) is out for Friday's game against the Thunder, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports
Hayes couldn't recover from the injury in time to suit up Friday, and he's set to miss a second straight game due to a right ankle contusion. His next chance to feature will come against the Jazz on Sunday.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Won't face San Antonio
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Hayes (ankle) is out for Wednesday's game against the Spurs.
Hayes was diagnosed with a right ankle contusion following Tuesday's loss to the Suns, and he won't feature in the second leg of his back-to-back set. However, his absence shouldn't affect many fantasy decisions. Hayes' next chance to play will come Friday against the Thunder.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Doubtful for Wednesday
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Hayes is doubtful for Wednesday's game against the Spurs due to a right ankle contusion, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports.
After returning for Tuesday's 127-100 loss to the Suns following a six-game absence Tuesday against the Suns due to a right ankle sprain, Hayes tallied seven points (2-2 FG, 3-4 FT), four rebounds and one steal in 17 minutes before leaving late in the contest after aggravated the injury. While his updated diagnosis of a contusion rather than another sprain of the ankle is encouraging, it's no surprise that the Lakers aren't counting on Hayes being available for the second leg of the back-to-back set Wednesday. With Hayes likely to sit out, Christian Koloko is expected to serve as starting center Anthony Davis' primary backup.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Leaves game with ankle injury
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Hayes went back to the locker room in the final minutes of Tuesday's 127-100 loss to the Suns with a right ankle injury, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports. He tallied seven points (2-2 FG, 3-4 FT), four rebounds and one steal across 17 minutes.
Hayes returned to game action following a six-game absence due to a lingering left ankle injury. To add insult to injury in a blowout loss, he appeared to hurt his right ankle on a dunk with 1:03 remaining in the game. The big man's status is now in jeopardy ahead of Wednesday's game versus the Spurs. If Hayes is sidelined, Christian Koloko will likely see an uptick in playing time behind Anthony Davis.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Available for Tuesday
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Hayes (ankle) is available for Tuesday's game against the Suns.
After missing the past six games for Los Angeles, Hayes is no longer appearing on the injury report. The reserve center holds season averages of 6.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.9 blocks through 10 appearances thus far.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Probable for Tuesday
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Hayes (ankle) is probable for Tuesday's game against the Suns, Khobi Price of The Orange County Register reports.
Hayes has been sidelined for nearly two weeks due to a left ankle sprain, but he's progressing towards a return which is great news for the Lakers. In 10 appearances this season, Hayes made a strong impact in limited minutes with averages of 6.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.9 blocks.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Won't play Saturday
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Hayes (ankle) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Nuggets, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports.
Hayes suffered a left ankle sprain during practice last week, so it comes as no surprise that he won't suit up Saturday. His next chance to be available for the Lakers will be against the Suns on Tuesday.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Out at least one week
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Hayes will be re-evaluated in 1-to-2 weeks after suffering a left ankle sprain in Tuesday's practice, Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet reports.
After suffering the injury, Hayes underwent an MRI, which confirmed what is apparently a mild-to-moderate sprain. With Hayes expected to miss a handful of games, Christian Koloko will have an opportunity to step up as the top backup to starting center Anthony Davis.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Iffy for Wednesday
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Hayes is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Grizzlies with a left ankle sprain, Ryan Ward of LakersNation.com reports.
Hayes is in jeopardy of missing his first game of the season. The big man was listed on the injury report before Sunday's win over Toronto with left knee soreness, but it's a new injury that's threatening his status for Wednesday. If Hayes is unable to suit up against the Grizzlies, Christian Koloko would likely step into the backup role behind starting center Anthony Davis (foot/eye).
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Listed as probable for Sunday
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Hayes (knee) is listed as probable for Sunday's game against the Raptors, Ryan Ward of LakersNation.com reports.
Hayes has been on the Lakers' injury report the past few days due to left knee soreness, but the issue isn't serious enough for him to be sidelined. He's averaging 5.7 points and 4.4 rebounds over 17 minutes to start the 2024-25 regular season.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Good to go
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Hayes (knee) is available for Friday's matchup with the 76ers.
No surprise here, as Hayes drew a probable designation prior to the game. Barring any setbacks, the big man should take on his usual role providing depth in Los Angeles' frontcourt.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Probable for Friday
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Hayes is probable for Friday's game against the 76ers due to left knee soreness, Khobi Price of The Orange County Register reports.
The probable tag suggests Hayes should play Friday, although his role is uncertain. If Anthony Davis (heel) ends up being available, then Hayes would return to his regular role off the bench. Hayes got the start in Wednesday's loss to the Grizzlies and posted eight points, 10 rebounds and an assist across 35 minutes.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Starting vs. Memphis
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Hayes is in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Grizzlies, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports.
Hayes will get the nod at center with Anthony Davis (ankle) sidelined. However, head coach JJ Redick stated prior to Wednesday's contest that he'll look to give Christian Koloko some minutes, so Hayes is not expected to absorb all of Davis' minutes. His fantasy upside should remain relatively low even in a starting role.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: NBA reopening investigation
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The NBA is reopening an investigation into a 2021 altercation involving Hayes and his former girlfriend, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reports.
The NBA did not discipline Hayes following its initial investigation into Hayes' 2021 arrest, but new footage was released by TMZ on Saturday. "We're obviously aware that the investigation has been reopened, and we're going to cooperate fully," coach JJ Redick said after Saturday's practice.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Blocks two shots Friday
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Hayes supplied four points (1-1 FG, 2-2 FT), six rebounds and two blocks over 15 minutes during Friday's 131-125 victory over the Raptors.
Hayes blocked a season-high two shots, although his playing time remains underwhelming. Anthony Davis has started the season on fire, limiting Hayes to just 15.7 minutes per night. While he can be a decent per-minute producer, he would likely need for Davis to miss time to have any shot at playing meaningful minutes.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Starting in preseason finale
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Hayes is in the starting lineup for Friday's preseason game against the Warriors, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reports.
The Lakers are resting their projected Opening Night starters and several key reserves, so Hayes will try to impress the coaching staff to secure a roster spot as a frontcourt option.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Starting versus Timberwolves
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Hayes will start at center in the Lakers' preseason opening matchup against the Timberwolves, Khobi Price of The Orange County Register reports.
With LeBron James (rest) and Anthony Davis (rest) sidelined for the exhibition opener, Hayes will start alongside Rui Hachimura. The big man is looking to earn a role providing depth in Los Angeles' frontcourt this season.
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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes: Picking up player option
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Hayes informed the Lakers on Friday that he will exercise his $2.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Hayes likely would have been on track for a one-year contract at a similar salary level in free agency had he declined the option, so he'll stick around in Los Angeles with the hope that he can solidify himself as the top backup center under first-year head coach JJ Redick. Previous coach Darvin Ham deployed Hayes as Anthony Davis' primary backup in 2023-24, though the Lakers were without Hayes' main competitors for the position -- Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood -- for much of the season due to injury. Vanderbilt and Wood are both healthy again and are under contract for the upcoming season, so Hayes could struggle to reach the 70 appearances and 12.5 minutes per contest he averaged in 2023-24.
