The Lakers’ fairly decisive loss to the Wolves in the playoffs made it clear the roster needed changing.
Considering that Jaxson Hayes, the team’s starting center, was benched in the second half of a pivotal Game 4 and did not play in Game 5, it seemed safe to assume Hayes would be among that turnover.
This seemed even more inevitable when the Lakers signed Deandre Ayton to be a pick-and-roll partner with Luka Dončić.
However, Hayes, an unrestricted free agent, returned to the Lakers on a one-year deal for more than the minimum. It seemed any ill will Hayes may have justifiably had regarding his benching was water under the bridge between himself and the franchise.
In fact, Hayes discussed on media day, being excited to return to the franchise. He spoke of his closeness with the players on the roster as one of the main reasons for his return. But that alone wasn’t the only reason he came back.
After Lakers practice on Sunday, Hayes discussed the conversations he had with Redick after the season and before free agency.
“He just told me ‘sorry’ and that’s what he wanted to do,” Hayes said. “That was the lineup they all talked about, the coaches talked about.”
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about Redick talking about last season and regretting how things ended. On media day, he also mentioned wishing he had the players more prepared for the physicality and intensity of the playoffs.
Being a coach is about dealing with personalities and the politics of basketball just as much as the Xs and Os. Redick did the tough thing, apologizing to his big for the decisions he made and how hurtful it likely was to Hayes.
In doing so, Redick created a space for open communication. Hayes, without question, wanted to be on the court during the end of that series. Those conversations with Redick helped bring him back for a redemption season with the Lakers.
“Obviously, as a competitor, you want to be in there and you want to help your team win whenever you can,” Hayes said. “That was just a lot for me to swallow. At the end of the year, me and JJ had a bunch of talks and talked it through. So, we got through that, obviously.”
Now set to be the team’s backup center, Hayes is in a position to blossom this year. He’s already a great pick-and-roll partner with Luka. In fact, they work so well together that Hayes is trying to play with Dončić next summer with Slovenia.
In the preseason, he’s done everything the Lakers need him to do. He’s running the floor, pushing the pace, scoring on dunks and doing his best defensively.
He can be a great backup behind Ayton and if DeAndre is out for a game here and there, Hayes has shown he can handle that spot during the regular season.
With Redick and Hayes on the same page, things are starting in stark contrast to how they ended last season. If things break right, it won’t change how poorly the finale of the 2024-25 season was, but it could make 2025-26 much better for the Lakers.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
