The Los Angeles Lakers inexplicably chose to turn away from Jaxson Hayes at every turn in last year's NBA Playoffs despite struggling to defend the rim without a proper big man. Why? Well, because they could not accomplish that task with him on the floor either.
It only took one half for Hayes to prove the same issues that have followed him throughout his NBA career were still present as ever in the Lakers' first preseason matchup against the Phoenix Suns. At the midway point of the matchup, the Lakers center had already racked up four personal fouls, holding the worst plus/minus of any player for the team with a -20 at the break.
Hayes had a couple of bright spots in the first half. The backup center registered a block and what was the most exciting dunk of the ball game. The good did not outweigh the bad.
The Lakers brought in Deandre Ayton during the offseason to be the solution at the center spot. They better hope their new acquisition proves to reliable, because the less they have to turn to Hayes, the better.
Lakers backup center position still sticking out as a pressing need
It is no secret the Lakers have one of the worst frontcourt situations in the NBA. Even with Ayton in the mix, that spot continues to be an area that Rob Pelinka should be keeping a close eye on between now and February.
Hayes could not stay on the floor for the Lakers in last year's playoff run due to the inability to defend without fouling. The Lakers big man racked up 2.0 personal fouls in 7.8 minutes per game. That equates to an average of 9.3 a night when adjusted for 36 minutes of action.
On Friday night, it was four personal fouls in 11 minutes of action in the first half, which saw the Lakers trailing the Suns 57-44. Those four came before the minutes total even climbed that high.
The Lakers clearly thought the Hayes experiment was one worth continuing for another season when they brought him back on a one-year deal during the free agency period. While one preseason ball game will not change that thought, it is still disappointing to see familiar issues haunt the former lottery pick.
Apart from Hayes, the Lakers' only other options at backup center once the regular season gets going are Maxi Kleber and Christian Koloko. It will be worth closely monitoring which player, if any, can emerge as the most dependable option of the bunch.