The Los Angeles Lakers may not know who their starting center will be in 2026-27, but there are clear signs pointing to Jaxson Hayes returning as the backup. Hayes, an unrestricted free agent, has played well during his Lakers tenure and has formed a bond with franchise player Luka Doncic.
The latest development connecting Doncic and Hayes seems to confirm that the latter's future in Los Angeles is safe, as he’s obtained a Slovenian passport and is thus eligible to become Doncic’s international teammate once the upcoming window of competitive basketball passes.
Jaxson Hayes je postal slovenski državljan!
— Košarkarska zveza SIovenije (@kzs_si) June 16, 2026
Šestindvajsetletni center (213 cm) je na slovenskem veleposlaništvu v Washingtonu podal prisego in prejel 🇸🇮 potni list.
Reprezentanci v prihajajočem kvalifikacijskem oknu še ne bo na voljo, a dolgoročno bo pomemben člen #mojtim 🇸🇮💪 pic.twitter.com/4xAnzPgX7P
It’s entirely possible that Hayes will accept a bigger offer from a rival team than the one Los Angeles is willing to extend. The signs are clearly pointing to a strong relationship between Doncic and the resident backup center, however, and the Lakers have made it abundantly clear that they want to build a team and locker room that suits their superstar.
According to Dan Woike and Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Lakers told Doncic that they’ll fill the locker room with "his type of players" during the 2026 offseason.
“Those promises were to give him a locker room full of his type of players, to find him replicants, if not improvements, of the balanced roster he made a finals run with in Dallas in 2024 before the stunning trade that sent him west.”
It certainly seems as though Hayes is “his type of player,” particularly when one considers the international basketball connection they now share.
Jaxson Hayes obtains Slovenian passport, eligible to play with Luka
Hayes is by no means a bad player to prioritize this summer, as he’s fit in well under head coach JJ Redick. This past season, he averaged 7.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 offensive rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 18.3 minutes per game.
Those numbers translate to 14.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.0 offensive rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per 36 minutes. He recorded those marks on 75.6 percent shooting from the field.
Beyond the numbers, Hayes developed a solid rapport with Doncic on the court—and seemingly off of it, as well. He was a quality pick and roll target who could make spot starts and hold his own against players who typically play bigger minutes than him.
Defensively, Hayes ranked in the 90th percentile in rim disruption, the 83rd percentile in rim deterrence, the 94th percentile in screener mobile defense, and the 88th percentile in screener rim defense, per Basketball Index.
Even if he weren’t as close as he appears to be with Doncic, Hayes would have clear value as a returning player. He offers pivotal defensive minutes, fits Doncic’s preferred style of play on offense, and can perform above his expected means when his number is called.
Having become Doncic’s international teammate, it’s hard to imagine Hayes won’t be back alongside him in the NBA, as well.
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