“F**k no” – Huge update about Lakers’ starting 5 featuring LeBron James and Anthony Davis has team’s fans FUMING
Lakers fans were quick to mock the idea of Jaxson Hayes starting alongside LeBron and Davis.
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L- LeBron James and Anthony Davis (Getty), R- Jaxson Hayes (USA Today Sports)
Jaxson Hayes is looking to earn a major role in the upcoming 2022-23 NBA season. The forward is expected to start alongside the Los Angeles Lakers superstars in his first season with the team.
The Lakers’ plans for major changes in their starting line-up have sparked numerous reports, with the potential inclusion of Hayes catching fans and media completely off guard.
According to Jovan Buha of the Athletics, “That’s before mentioning Jaxson Hayes, who the team is confident can start and play a prominent role with Davis in two-big lineups.” The report indicated that the team is willing to take on the risk of rolling out their classic two-center lineup again.
Although the decision to start Hayes may confuse people, the idea made sense conceptually. Hayes sports a massive 6-foot-11 height pairing it with his 7-foot-4 wingspan is one of the most desirable young players in the NBA. The big man averages 7.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game for his career with a shooting 62.2 percentage from the field.
Hayes’ size is perfect for the Lakers line-up, allowing Anthony Davis to play in the forward position. This will allow the team to run two bigs at the same time, a system that was heavily used by the 2020 Lakers.
The Laker’s attempt to replicate their NBA bubble line-up is imminent if Hayes can hold his own on defense. A huge reason the previous Lakers’ twin-tower lineup worked was due to the sheer force of Dwight Howard as a shot blocker. Hayes does have the tools to perform like Howard but his lack of experience is still concerning.
Lakers fans react to Jaxson Hayes potentially being in the Lakers’ starting lineup
Lakers Nation seemed to loathe at the idea of Jaxson Hayes being inserted in the starting lineup. The news surprised fans as Hayes was projected to be a bench player when he was first brought in by the team.
The Lakers signed Hayes to a two-way contract after the New Orleans Pelicans let go of the big man. It was a celebrated move at the time of the signing but fans quickly scorned the idea of him starting alongside another big-man in Anthony Davis. The 23-year-old is entering just his fourth season and while he posed great potential, his talent never really translated on the court.
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The 6-foot-11 forward had played a prominent role with his former team. Hayes had previously started only two games for the New Orlean Pelicans last season. It would be a huge change for the 23-year-old to start for a team with championship aspirations.
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Ritvik Malhotra
(1085 Articles Published)