With Jaxson Hayes responding well to contact during practice, he could return just in time for the Lakers' New Year's Eve game against the Cavaliers.
Due to an ankle sprain, Jaxson Hayes has missed 20 of the last 21 games the Lakers have played.
However, Hayes told ESPN's Dave McMenamin that he's now practicing with contact and could be back as soon as Tuesday night versus the Cleveland Cavaliers on New Year's Eve.
Jaxson Hayes, out with a right ankle injury that’s sidelined him for 20 of the last 21 games, told ESPN he has progressed to 5-on-5 with contact in practice. Should his ankle continue to progress in a positive direction, he will be back in the lineup Tuesday against Cleveland
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 29, 2024
This past week, Hayes was a limited participant in practice, so hearing that he is now handling contact and aiming for a return to the court is excellent news for the team.
Hayes has been dealing with this right ankle injury for most of the season.
He initially sprained the ankle against the Raptors on Nov. 10, which kept him out for six games. Then, he hurt the same ankle again on a layup attempt in the closing minutes of the Lakers' matchup against the Suns on Nov. 26.
Prior to his injury Hayes was having a solid year for the Lakers. He was a spark plug of offense off the bench, averaging 6.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
Hayes' return would provide some much-needed support at the five spot for the Lakers. The only bigs that have been active on the roster have been the two-way players Christian Koloko and Armel Traore.
Koloko is playing 9.3 minutes per game in Hayes' absence, averaging 1.9 points and 2.3 rebounds during that span.
Traore is still a bit raw as a player, so he's mainly just stayed ready for action waiting to be called upon.
Once Hayes is available, he will instantly be slotted as the backup big, allowing the Lakers to have more vertical size on the floor even when Anthony Davis is taking a breather.
If you're hoping Hayes' return will mean more two-big linueps pairing the backup with AD, don't hold your breath.
JJ Redick hasn't been a fan of the two-big options even with Hayes available, so it's unlikely we'll see that lineup.
However, with Hayes back, we will likely see fewer of the small-ball lineups that have struggled the past few games.
Rui Hachimura has recently been utilized as a five for stretches and the results have been mixed.
Having Hayes healthy means Redick won't have to get creative at center and can swap size for size moving forward.
Once Hayes returns, the Lakers will have a key piece back and will have a better understanding of what else is needed on this team to maximize its potential.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.
