Getty Jaxson Hayes of the Texas Longhorns reaches for the ball in front of K.J. Lawson of the Kansas Jayhawks.
A relatively unheralded prospect coming out of high school, few expected Jaxson Hayes to be a one and done player at Texas. Ranked the 89th overall player in the class of 2018, Hayes was undoubtedly talented but most felt he needed some seasoning in order to take the next step. However, the athletic big man quickly outplayed even his highest of projections and now finds himself as a likely lottery pick heading into the 2019 NBA draft.
At Texas, Hayes flashed elite rim protection skills and athleticism necessary to translate to the NBA. While still extremely raw offensively, Hayes doesn’t necessarily need a refined offensive skill set in today’s NBA. Long gone are the days of the traditional back to the basket big man, instead, the modern NBA big man is mostly used to clean the class, protect the rim, and create easy screen and roll looks for their guards – all things Hayes projects to do well.
While he won’t ever be the next Nikola Jokic or Joel Embiid, Hayes has quite a bit of upside and could possibly follow in the footsteps of fellow Texas alum, Jarrett Allen. An athletic big man with a knack for sending back shots, Allen has developed into a very solid NBA big and is able to have a major impact on the game without the ball in his hands.
Lakers 2019 NBA Draft Target: Jaxson Hayes Among Best Fits In Latest Mock Drafts
While mostly projected to go in the top 10 in the 2019 NBA Draft, there is a chance that Hayes is still on the board when the Lakers likely pick at either 10 or 11. NBAdraft.net has Hayes going off the board at 9th to Atlanta while ESPN’s latest mock draft has him heading off the board at the exact same position. However, BleacherReport is much more bearish in their analysis on Hayes, expecting him to head off the board at 19 to the Spurs.
During his time at Texas, Hayes posted a relatively unassuming point and rebound totals of ten and five, respectively. However, Hayes shined in the block category, leading the team with an average of 2.2 blocks per game. With the 22nd best block per game average in the NCAA and playing against some of the nation’s best competition in the Big 12, Hayes turned heads with his gaudy block totals and explosive athleticism.
Lakers 2019 NBA Draft: Big Man Among Biggest Team Needs
While shooting is the Lakers’ biggest need, they also need to find a reliable long-term rim protection option. JaVale McGee and Tyson Chandler shined in defensive oriented, rim-running roles on the Lakers last season yet neither is under contract heading into next year. They showcased how important having a capable rim protector who can scoop up rebounds and do the dirty work is to a LeBron-led team.
Hayes projects to be an ideal fit for this exact need and while he doesn’t offer much help to the Lakers’ most glaring hole, the hope should be that they can figure out a solution to their shooting struggles in the free agent market.