The Los Angeles Lakers have their backs against the wall as they face an elimination game on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite having home-court advantage in the first round, the Lakers are down 3-1 after completely falling apart late in the games in Minnesota.
One of the most surprising developments in Game 4 was how head coach JJ Redick didn't use a single sub in the entirety of the second half. This resulted in the Lakers running out of gas late and giving up a 32-19 fourth quarter.
Jaxson Hayes Will Be Gone After the Lakers' Playoff Run
A big reason why Redick opted for that approach is his lack of trust in the rest of the roster. This includes Jaxson Hayes, who technically remains a starter despite not playing over nine minutes in any postseason game.
Hayes has been starting games and getting benched after a few minutes on the court in favor of Dorian Finney-Smith. In previous games, Redick gave Hayes another short stint in the second half, but that wasn't the case in Game 4. The seven-footer ended up playing only four minutes while the Lakers went centerless the rest of the way.
This further proves how much Redick has soured on Hayes. Even though the 24-year-old is the only viable center on the roster, the Lakers' head coach would rather play without a big man for 40+ minutes rather than play Hayes. Even though Hayes is a good fit next to Luka Doncic as a rim runner and lob threat, the Lakers clearly don't believe in him as a defender.
This makes it highly unlikely that the Lakers would re-sign Hayes in the offseason. Los Angeles desperately needs frontcourt upgrades for next season and when Hayes becomes a free agent this summer, they will gladly let him walk.