Jaxson Hayes breaks silence on troublesome ankle injury
01/03/2025 10:32 PM
LOS ANGELES – When the Los Angeles Lakers squared off against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, they welcomed a familiar face back in the lineup. With Anthony Davis out due to injury, Jaxson Hayes stepped into the Lakers’ lineup as he made his return from an ankle injury that kept him sidelined for 21 0f the last 22 games.
Jaxson Hayes was actually cleared to return to the Lakers’ lineup from injury during their Dec. 31 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He did not play, however, but when Davis was sidelined, he stepped right in and made a big impact on both ends of the court.
Following the Lakers’ 114-106 win against the Blazers, Hayes spoke about the mental toll in recovering from the ankle injury.
“The past month has definitely been a little hard, it’s probably the longest I’ve ever been out in my career,” Hayes said. “But just rehabbing every day. . .then getting stationary shots for like a week and a half, and then finally got to start doing actual workouts. And then just conditioning every day. I’m still out of shape, but I’m gonna get there.
The Lakers have needed since from the get-go as both Christian Wood and Jarred Vanderbilt have been sidelined due to injury and have yet to make their 2024-25 season debut. Hayes began the season making a major impact off the bench as the team’s backup center.
But he suffered the ankle injury during practice ahead of the Lakers’ Nov. 13 game against the Memphis Grizzlies. He intially missed six games before returning to the lineup against the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 26. But he ended up re-aggravating the same injury in that game, and it kept him out for 15 games after that.
Jaxson Hayes impact for Lakers
Against the Blazers, a team with plenty of size in the frontcourt with Deandre Ayton and Donovan Clingan, the Lakers needed Hayes on the court. And he responded in a big way. He finished with four points, six rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot in 18 minutes.
Four of Hayes’ rebounds were on the offensive end, keeping possessions alive for the Lakers. His points came off ball-movement, rolling on the pick and roll and making himself available for the pass.
Following the game, Lakers’ head coach JJ Redick spoke about the importance of Hayes’ return to the lineup.
“There’s a testament and example there for just being a professional and staying ready,” Redick said. “Jaxson was available the other night for the first time in a month, and he got a DNP, and then a game later he’s starting and making a huge impact.
On the season, Hayes has appeared in 12 games, including two starts, at a little over 17 minutes per game. He has been averaging 6.2 points and 4.7 rebounds with splits of 70 percent shooting from the field and 78.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Hayes acknowledged that he still has work to do to get back into true game shape as he was earlier in the season, but he’s glad to be back and helping his teammates.
“It’s just harder to stay in shape because obviously game shape is different. . .that’s all running and jumping, side to side, non-stop for five minutes, then you get a break. It’s just a different type of intensity with conditioning off the court and then game conditioning,” Hayes said. “The most difficult part for me was just not being able to be out there with the guys. That’s been a huge thing for me, just getting back around the team, having that camaraderie again.”
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