The Los Angeles Lakers approached the 2024-25 regular season with optimism about the future of the center position. Anthony Davis was aiming for the stars, Rob Pelinka was exploring trade options, and Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood provided JJ Redick with vastly different and intriguing options to incorporate into his rotation.
Unfortunately, the Lakers' depth at center has been ravaged by injuries—and the latest development could prove to be the most devastating yet.
Davis has been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and an eye injury that he's chosen to play through, per Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet. Wood has thus far missed every game of the 2024-25 season as he recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery.
Unfortunately, the depth at center has taken yet another hit, as the Lakers have revealed that Jaxson Hayes will miss at least one-to-two weeks with a sprained ankle.
Jaxson Hayes suffered a left ankle sprain in practice Tuesday and will miss the Grizzlies game tonight, per the Lakers. He’ll be reevaluated in 1-2 weeks, per the team.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 13, 2024
With the depth at center depleted, the signs point to Christian Koloko receiving consistent playing time with the Lakers' main roster.
Lakers' Jaxson Hayes will miss 1-to-2 weeks with left ankle sprain
Hayes has appeared in each of the Lakers' first 10 games, starting one. He's averaged 6.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.9 offensive rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in just 17.5 minutes per game, which translates to 13.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.5 offensive rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per 36 minutes.
Beyond the numbers, Hayes has been an effective rim-runner who has given the Lakers a necessary splash of athleticism when they need an interior bucket.
Defensively, Hayes has taken steps toward realizing his potential as a quality defender. He's still struggling to protect the paint consistently, but has done well when switching against the pick-and-roll and contesting jumpers.
Unfortunately, the Lakers could be without Hayes for two weeks depending on the severity of the sprain—meaning the depth at center is now limited to Davis and Koloko.
Davis will be playing through plantar fasciitis and an eye injury, while Koloko has played just two NBA games since 2022-23. It's a compromising position for the Lakers to find themselves in, especially after parting with Summer League standout Colin Castleton ahead of the 2024-25 season.
The silver lining, however, is that Koloko will have an opportunity to learn on the fly as the Lakers feature him with the second unit.
The other option for the Lakers to consider is to go small-ball whenever Davis is off the court. D'Angelo Russell has led an improved second unit, and Los Angeles could potentially emphasize a team that pushes the pace during short stretches without Davis.
Regardless of what the Lakers choose to do, one can't help but feel as though the calls for a trade to improve the depth at center will grow louder in Hayes' absence.