Jaxson

Hayes

Hayes is due to make approximately $2.4 million in 2024-25, and the decision to opt into his contract means the Lakers will have a full rotation at center. Anthony Davis prefers to play at power forward, and having Hayes and Christian Wood under contract will give new head coach JJ Redick more opportunities to make that happen. That said, Hayes and Wood don’t offer enough fantasy value to merit being selected in most drafts.

Wood will be available to play for the first time since before the All-Star break. However, Jaxson Hayes wasn’t in the rotation in Game 3, and they may not want to include Wood in their rotation in an elimination game. He will be available if needed, but he may not see the floor.

Wood has been sidelined for over a month and initially was targeting a return in Game 3. He could end up making his return on Saturday, though he will only see a limited role off the bench.

Wood hoped to return to the hardwood for Game 3 but needs more time to recover from the knee surgery he underwent. Jaxson Hayes will continue backing up Anthony Davis at center in the meantime.

Wood had an arthroscopic procedure in the middle of March on his left knee and has been sidelined since then. He will be out for Game 2 on Monday, but he is expected to be back in the lineup when the series shifts to Los Angeles. He may fill some of the backup center minutes, but he didn’t do much in either of his appearances against Denver this season.

Davis logged 30 points and 11 rebounds in 33 minutes in a dominant win over the Pelicans on Sunday. However, the oft-injured big man is a question mark for his team’s huge play-in game on Tuesday. Los Angeles will have to lean on Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes more than usual if the star center sits.

AD exited early from their last game due to an issue with his left eye, but it appears that it has escalated a bit. Jaxson Hayes should start at center after having 19 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and a block in 33 minutes against Minnesota on Sunday.

The Lakers lost Anthony Davis after the first quarter of Sunday’s loss after he suffered a left eye injury, resulting in extended minutes for Hayes. He took advantage of the opportunity, recording his first double-double since February 1 against the Celtics. Hayes was also responsible for a career-high five steals; the six “stocks” were the most for him in a game this season. With Davis expected to be available for Tuesday’s game against the Warriors, Hayes’ chances of duplicating Sunday’s performance are slim.

Davis took a hit to the eye while completing a dunk during the first half of Sunday’s game, exiting and heading back to the locker room shortly after that. The left eye is the same one he injured during a March 16 game against the Warriors, but Davis did play in the next game two nights later. Jaxson Hayes started the third quarter and will take on the starting center responsibilities if Davis misses time.

Based on the probable tag, Davis should be available to play on Sunday night. If not, Jaxson Hayes would move into the starting lineup and is worth streaming when in that role.