One thing is for sure about the 2025-26 Los Angeles Lakers: they have the star talent needed to win a championship in the NBA. The big three of Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves give LA enough scoring and top-end talent to help them close out tight games. What they don't have, and haven't had for some time now, is a legit center.
The Deandre Ayton experiment has been an utter failure. He continues to show flashes of that former first overall pick potential, but his inability to buy into a role has set this Lakers team back. Jaxson Hayes should be who head coach JJ Redick leans on at the center spot in the future.
Hayes has shown a willingness to buy into a rim-protecting, lob-threat role. It brings the exact skill set LA needs as the playoffs approach.
More importantly, he has shown way more of a readiness than Ayton, as he jumped into his spot Thursday night in Denver and gave LA a high-energy 19-point and five-rebound performance.
Jaxson Hayes is the center the Lakers actually need down the stretch
The Lakers need a center whom the coaching staff can actually coach and push to be great. As a center, your job when sharing the court with Luka and LeBron isn't that hard: catch lobs, fight on the glass, and clean up their mistakes defensively as a rim protector.
Pretty simple, but it's been a huge struggle for Ayton to grasp the concept that if he gives LA that, they can win games. For Hayes, this is the role he's played since his time in college with the Texas Longhorns.
He did the same thing when he was picked eighth overall by the New Orleans Pelicans back in 2019. He shared the court with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, and while he never developed into the center they wanted him to be long-term at 25 years old, he is now becoming that for the Lakers.
Hayes is also on an expiring deal heading into this summer. If he's given the keys to that starting center spot, the motivation to keep that role will be higher than ever before.
As far as raw talent goes, Ayton has Hayes by a fair bit. Where Hayes has the edge over Ayton right now is work ethic and fit in the Lakers' starting five. If the Lakers are serious about pushing for a title this season, it's going to involve risks. Giving Hayes the keys to the starting center spot is a risk worth taking.