Los Angeles Lakers: Three prospects to target after tanking
By Jason Reed
2. Jaxson Hayes
Aside from the team’s desire to land a superstar, the Los Angeles Lakers really have two positional needs, at least in the starting five, heading into this offseason. The first is at shooting guard with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hitting free agency, although the team could re-sign Reggie Bullock to play alongside Josh Hart.
The other is at center. After trading Ivica Zubac to the Los Angeles Clippers, Moritz Wagner is the only center on the depth chart that is locked in past this season. And while the Lakers are likely to bring back JaVale McGee or Tyson Chandler, the team could still look to add in the draft.
The variable here is DeMarcus Cousins, who has been tied to the team and would obviously be the team’s starting center next season.
If that is not the case and the Lakers land the eighth overall pick in the draft then the team should use it on Jaxson Hayes, who is arguably the best center in the draft this year.
Hayes is huge at six-foot-eleven with a seven-foot-three wingspan that will give the Lakers the kind of shot-blocking and interior defense that the team needs.
Hayes has the frame and is the perfect build to be a scoring big man off of LeBron James as well as be an above-average shot blocker. However, his rebounding is not the best and he is a bit raw, which might give him a limited role in the upcoming season.
That could leave the door open for the Lakers to draft Hayes to play behind Boogie Cousins, even. Either way, Hayes certainly is an intriguing prospect.