Jaxson

Hayes

Vanderbilt dislocated his right pinky finger during the first half of Tuesday’s Game 1 against the Thunder, finishing with six minutes played. While the Lakers haven’t ruled Vanderbilt out yet, he’s listed as doubtful for Thursday’s Game 2. Jaxson Hayes had three points in 16 minutes off the bench in Game 1 and could see similar minutes if Vanderbilt is ruled out.

Ayton was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul for a forearm that he delivered to the head of Rockets center Alperen Şengün. The Lakers center played 25 minutes, finishing with 19 points (9-of-12 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), 10 rebounds and one blocked shot. Ayton’s early exit, the first of his NBA career, means more playing time for Jaxson Hayes.

Hayes hasn’t taken the floor since April 5 against the Mavericks, as a foot injury has kept him on the sidelines. However, the injury-hit Lakers get a bit of good news on Friday, as the athletic center’s name is no longer on the injury report. He’ll likely come off the bench in his return.

Hayes will remain sidelined for a fourth straight game, which means the Lakers will turn to Jarred Vanderbilt and Maxi Kleber for the backup center minutes. However, that hasn’t led to much production for either player.

Even with the Lakers still in play for the No. 3 seed in the West heading into the final day of the regular season, they may prioritize giving LeBron some rest, given the workload he has shouldered recently. As for Hayes, he has missed the Lakers’ last three games, resulting in more playing time for Jarred Vanderbilt and Maxi Kleber.

Hayes will miss a third straight game with this foot injury, which means Drew Timme, Maxi Kleber and Jarred Vanderbilt will be the backup center options. Vanderbilt should be the only way that plays enough minutes to provide value, though none of them have contributed enough in the box score to be worth streaming in.

Hayes will miss a second consecutive game as he deals with a sore left foot. Drew Timme, who logged 27 minutes as a starter in Tuesday’s loss to the Thunder, could shift into the backup center role. He would not be worth the risk in active fantasy leagues in that scenario since Deandre Ayton is available.

Absent from the Lakers’ initial injury report, Hayes is now out with a sore left foot. Jarred Vanderbilt’s playing time is likely to increase since LeBron James is also out, with Maxi Kleber also receiving a boost.

The injuries suffered by Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves have opened things up for the other Lakers in the rotation. That includes Hayes, who scored a season-high 23 points in 27 minutes off the bench. He outplayed starter Deandre Ayton (13 points, four rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot), who logged 20 minutes. Nights like Sunday have not been the norm for Hayes; if they were, he would be the starter. But he’s capable of delivering unexpected production on occasion.

Hayes had his best defensive night of the season on Friday, with the five blocks being one shy of his career-high. As a result, he played 26 minutes while starter Deandre Ayton (nine points, seven rebounds, one steal and three blocks) logged 22. Hayes remains a player who should only be in fantasy lineups on nights when Ayton is not available, but he should be applauded for his performance on Friday.