While a small sample size, 24-year old Jaxson Hayes has become the Lakers’ most valuable role player after big stars Doncic, James, and Reaves. He now has a legitimate chance to become the next great Lakers’ center.

The Lakers have now won 17 of the 20 games that Jaxson Hayes has started at center. During those 20 starts, Hayes averaged 8.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 turnovers, 0.7 steals, 1.2 blocks in 24.5 minutes per game. Hayes shot 73.0% from the field, 0.0% from three, and 66.7% from the line. He posted a strong offensive rating of 116.0 (#13 among centers), an elite defensive rating of 104.6 (#1), and a top-5 net rating of +11.4 (#4).

Hayes’ play has been one of the key factors in the Lakers recent rise to the top-5 contenders to win this year’s NBA championship. Having Hayes rise to the occasion solved the dilemma of whom would start for the Lakers.
But the Lakers still haven’t solved who’s going to play center when Jaxson’s on the bench resting or out with an injury during the recent 4-game losing streak. Right now, Hayes and Koloko are the Lakers’ center rotation.

On the court, Jaxson has not only won the love of Lakers’ fans but also the heart of newly acquired superstar Luka Doncic. Luka has long excelled at pounding defenses with dunk lobs to high flying centers and wings.
The timing and chemistry the two have already created has been electric. Last night’s game against the Phoenix Suns was a perfect example of what an unexpected great fit at center Jaxson Hayes has become in a short time.

There’s no question the Lakers also need a big bodied center who can bang with Jokic and Sabonis as well as a stretch center who can space the court to provide a deep and versatile championship caliber center rotation.
Whether the Lakers pursue a big body like Walker Kessler and/or a stretch five shot and playmaker like Kelly Olynyk, Jaxson Hayes has already shown he is team’s most valuable role player and has a shot at long-term starter.

The style of defense JJ Redick has the Lakers playing right now is perfect for Jaxson Hayes. It will also continue to be important defensively for the Lakers to keep Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic from being switch hunted.
Hayes was not a great fit for drop coverage but for a center who has the quickness of foot and athleticism to defend in space, the icing and hedging that Redick’s new defense demands is a perfect fit for Jaxson Hayes.

Jaxson Hayes’ elite gravity and fit as a vertical lob threat for Luka along with his proven ability to defend in space and improving ability to protect the rim give him a good head start to be the Lakers’ next great center.

Any win is a good win, sure the Suns are imploding and going full super nova but the Lakers will take any W they can get while the squad gets healthy. We got to about 85% strength with the return of DFS, Hayes, and Luka and we needed all three to play well and come up clutch against one of the more surprising plotlines this season. The black hole that is the Phoenix Suns

1. Luka. In a word: amazing. Like LeBron, Kobe and Magic before him, he will make some turnovers that are…shall we say avoidable. He will complain a bit much and we’ll see what his conditioning is like next season. It’s all worth it. The dude does legendary things nightly and he makes them look simple. Started hot, finished kind of cold, he was superb at luring the Phoenix defenders into fouling him on his jump shots and drives. Finishing 2 dimes shy of a triple-double it’s easier and easier to accept that Luka is a Laker.
2. Dorian Finney-Smith. Dude is solid as a rock and you can see why Luka enjoys playing with him. His defense is on point and he makes the right play just about every time. DFS, Rui, Vincent and Vando are the quartet of defenders/role-players that have the potential to make this Lakers team something really special. Between these 4 we have a multi-headed hydra of defenders that can switch, recover and rebound with tenacity. Of them all DFS is probably the most essential followed closely by Gabe and Rui. That 3 he hit late to stymie the last Phoenix gasp was clutch because, up to that shot, he was only 1-5 from three and was obviously searching for a groove on offense.
3. Hayes expanding his game. I like when a player bucks trends. It’s one reason I really dig Vanderbilt, there’s not really one thing about his game that screams “modern NBA!” Jaxson Hayes has, at times, been slotted below project players like Christian Koloko on the Lakers depth chart. Last season he came on strong late and then seemed to regress over the summer and came out tentative. Maybe it’s the space Luka helps create, especially when he shares the floor with Reaves and/or LeBron, but Jaxson Hayes suddenly has an acre of space to operate in. He took his man off the dribble…from the three point line…and dunked on him. He’s finding the seams for easy lobs and he keeps flirting with the 20 point barrier. While not the bruising center Coach Reddick pined for early on, the fit with this team is becoming undeniable as Hayes finds ways to leverage his superior speed and hops against more plodding defenders. In the NBA speed kills and is harder than any other physical trait to stop. Footwork and IQ can overcome both speed and strength but, for now, the opposition is having a difficult time containing Hayes. Playoffs will be another beast but this version of Jax is lethal in the regular season.
4. Reaves is becoming Mr. Dependable. Good for 20 and 9, every time. Toss in some boards, some defense and you’ve got the combo guard of the future, folks. reaves “do-it-all” tool box has been on full display for most of the season and were it not for resurgent Detroit Pistons thanks to Cade Cunningham, Austin Reaves would be the clear favorite for Most Improved Player. As it is, if the lakers can crack the top 3, maybe 4 in the west, he still has an outside shot at it. Reaves getting to the line a little more consistently would be nice but that’s on the refs as much as on him as he certainly is attacking the basket.
5. Help is on the way. Sounds like Rui could be available before the end of the week and LeBron not far behind. Welcome news to Lakers fans!