The expectations have changed for the Los Angeles Lakers and the pressure has thus grown immeasurably at every position. Luka Doncic is a superstar in his prime who has already led a team to the NBA Finals and will now look to solidify his legacy by becoming a champion.
With this in mind, backup center Jaxson Hayes has instantly found himself on the hot seat as a player who will need to prove whether or not he can anchor the second unit at a championship-caliber level.
It's perhaps an unfair standard to set, but the Lakers have officially entered championship-or-bust territory. Doncic is in his prime, LeBron James is entering his 23rd season, and Austin Reaves is mere months away from potentially signing a lucrative new contract that will take him out of team-friendly territory.
At this time next year, the Lakers' salary cap table could look considerably different—and the knowledge of how much more expensive it will be to contend will likely guide the front office.
Hayes will be one of the players under the microscope as the backup center for a team residing in a place of uncertainty. The position is entirely unresolved, with all three of the members of the current depth chart eligible for free agency in 2026: Deandre Ayton, Hayes, and Maxi Kleber.
If Hayes is hoping to avoid spending the entire season on the hot seat, then a strong start to the 2025-26 campaign will be essential.
Jaxson Hayes must prove he can be a championship-caliber backup
Hayes is still just 25 years of age, but he's preparing for his third season with the Lakers and his seventh year in the NBA. That certainly dictates veteran status and poses the fair question of how much longer the team can wait for him to tap into his potential.
Thankfully, Hayes began to look the part of a strong fit in Los Angeles during the 2024-25 season, when he contributed to a defensive resurgence.
The tide has turned, however, as the Lakers have brought in another player who has found themselves instantly on the hot seat in Ayton. No longer is Hayes filling in for a Lakers team that traded Anthony Davis and failed to replace him during the 2024-25 season.
Instead, Hayes is effectively becoming a part of a committee at center that is as heralded for its potential as it is questioned for its consistency.
Ayton was the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and Hayes went No. 8 in 2019, but neither secured long-term contracts this past offseason. Both are effectively playing for their future, with Los Angeles investing in their untapped potential but protecting itself from the possibility of disappointment.
Whether fair or foul, both Ayton and Hayes were signed to contracts that make them eligible for free agency in 2026 due to the simple fact that the Lakers aren't quite sure what to expect from them.
If Hayes steps up and proves to be an ideal backup center, then he'll be taken off of the hot seat and will like get a new deal in 2026. If Ayton struggles and Hayes can't make up for the projected starter's inconsistency, however, they could both be replaced around the trade deadline.
It's an unsettling truth, but the Lakers' uncertainty at center persists and both Ayton and Hayes will need to prove they can provide stability.