Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (center) dunks the ball against the San Antonio Spurs in the first half at Crypto.com Arena on Mar 17, 2025. — Reuters
Center Jaxson Hayes has reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA), bringing back their incumbent at the position for another season.
According to reports, the Lakers and Hayes have agreed to a deal, but the financial terms have not been disclosed.
Hayes’ representatives, Bill Duffy and Marlon Harrison of WME Basketball, finalised the deal with Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka.
The agreement comes shortly after the franchise secured a two-year contract with free agent center Deandre Ayton on Thursday.
In the 2024–25 NBA season, his second with the Lakers, the 25-year-old averaged 6.8 points, a career-high 4.8 rebounds and a career-best 1.0 assists per game across 56 games, including 35 starts.
During the playoffs, Hayes appeared in the first four games of the Lakers’ five-game series loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. He contributed 1.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per contest, but did not come off the bench in the series-ending loss.
Originally selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2019 NBA Draft, Hayes was immediately traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, where he played four seasons before signing with the Lakers in July 2023.
Across 367 career NBA games, including 87 starts, Hayes holds averages of 6.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game.
Meanwhile, Ayton reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with the Lakers after the Portland Trail Blazers bought out his contract. Ayton has career averages of 16.4 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 398 games, including 391 starts.