Luka Doncic and Jaxson Hayes built one of the Lakers’ most natural connections around the rim, but that partnership is now over. Hayes left Los Angeles this summer after agreeing to a reported two-year, $12 million deal with the Utah Jazz, leaving Luka without a familiar lob threat from his recent Lakers run. NBA.com confirmed the move on July 10, while ESPN’s Tim MacMahon first reported the agreement. Hayes averaged 7.5 points and 4.1 rebounds across 66 games last season.
The timing makes the decision more interesting because Los Angeles is now building around Doncic and Austin Reaves after a major roster change. The Lakers replaced Hayes with veteran center Kevon Looney, who signed a one-year, $3.9 million deal, according to Reuters. With Hayes gone, the Lakers have moved forward with a very different look in the frontcourt.
Lakers Let Jaxson Hayes Walk Despite Luka Doncic Connection
Hayes may not have been a star, but his role next to Doncic was simple and useful. The 7-foot center could run toward the rim, finish lobs and give Luka an easy target near the basket. NBA.com lists Hayes at 7-foot-0 and notes that he played three seasons with Los Angeles before joining Utah this summer.
That fit showed up in Hayes’ numbers last season. He shot 75.6% from the field while averaging 7.5 points and 4.1 rebounds in 66 games, according to Basketball-Reference. Those numbers do not tell the full story, though. Hayes’ value came largely from what he could do without needing many plays called for him.
Los Angeles chose a new path at center, adding Walker Kessler through a sign-and-trade and bringing in Looney for depth. NBA.com lists Hayes among the Lakers’ departures and Kessler and Looney among their additions. That change makes Hayes’ exit easier to understand, but his chemistry with Doncic is still worth remembering.
Jaxson Hayes’ $30M Career Earnings Add Another Angle
Hayes is moving on with a new contract and a fresh role in Utah, but his Lakers chapter ended after three seasons. NBA.com says he appeared in 311 career games for the Lakers and Pelicans, with 52 starts. His next stop gives him another chance to turn his athletic ability into a bigger role.
According to Basketball-Reference, Hayes has earned at least $30.2 million during his NBA career. That figure is his career earnings, not the value of his new Jazz contract. Utah’s agreement is worth $12 million over two years, with the second season carrying a team option, according to NBA.com and Tim MacMahon.
For the Lakers, the real question is not Hayes’ career earnings. It is whether they will miss the specific skill set he brought beside Doncic. Los Angeles has chosen Kessler as its main center and Looney as another option, so the roster now has to make that new frontcourt combination work.
Hayes was never the biggest name on the Lakers, but his connection with Doncic gave him a clear purpose. Now that he is headed to Utah, Los Angeles will have to replace more than his minutes. The bigger test will be whether its new centers can give Luka the same easy options around the rim.
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