An intriguing name that was supposed to hit the restricted free agency market this summer is Jaxson Hayes, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft who has spent his entire career with the New Orleans Pelicans. While Hayes hasn’t quite developed into the sort of dynamic center on both ends of the floor that the Pelicans hoped when they selected him, he’s still only 23 years old and has flashed enough to suggest that there is a productive basketball player in there if he continues to develop.
As a restricted free agent, Hayes would have the opportunity to sign an offer sheet with another team, which would have led to the Pelicans having to make a decision on whether or not it would bring him back. But in a bit of a surprise move, New Orleans decided to pass on extending a qualifying offer to Hayes, which made him an unrestricted free agent.
The Pelicans declined Willy Hernangomez’s team option, a source said. They also did not extend the qualifying offer to Jaxson Hayes. Hayes is a UFA.
— Christian Clark (@cclark_13) June 29, 2023
One day into free agency and we learned where Hayes will end up, as Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN brought word that he’s headed to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Free agent center Jaxson Hayes has agreed to a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2023
Hayes will have a player option on the second year, sources tell ESPN. Lakers land the ex-Pelicans 7-footer to fortify their frontline. https://t.co/YglEWrKkAS
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2023
A mix of an early season elbow injury and a general inability to consistently have a role in the team’s rotation meant that Hayes played in the fewest games of his career last season. Hayes saw the floor 47 times, with two of those appearances coming in a starting role. He averaged five points and 2.8 rebounds in 13 minutes per game, and connected on 55.1 percent of his attempts from the field.