The Lakers have finally received some good news on the injury front. After Monday’s practice, JJ Redick said that Jaxson Hayes is likely to return to the court for the Lakers against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.
Jaxson Hayes is probable to return from an ankle injury Tuesday against Phoenix, per JJ Redick
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 25, 2024
Hayes sprained his ankle in mid-November and was originally scheduled to be out for one to two weeks. His rehab had no setbacks and it looks like he will return without needing more time to recover.
A speedy return from injury has been a rarity for this team. Christian Wood has been out all season and suffered a setback earlier this month and Jarred Vanderbilt has yet to make his 2024-25 debut and will be re-evaluated in a couple of weeks.
Hayes has missed the last six games, leaving the Lakers with just two-way player Christian Koloko as the lone active backup big on the roster.
The Lakers were able to stack up wins in Hayes’ absence, going 4-2. Still, they struggled severely against the Magic and Nuggets, getting dominated in the rebounding department in both of those losses.
With Hayes returning, he gives Los Angeles some much-needed size and help on the glass. He provides some offense off the bench and allows Redick to play much bigger if he pairs him with AD on the floor.
This year, Hayes has started well. He is averaging 6.3 points and 4.6 rebounds during his first ten games. There have been fewer bad Hayes performances as Redick has optimized his play, setting him up to do what he does best: score near the rim and crash the boards.
If he can play against the Suns, it will give the Lakers some much-needed depth and the best chance of winning their NBA Cup matchup.
The franchise has yet to lose an NBA Cup game, having won it all last season. The Lakers have begun this year undefeated, having won their first two games in the group stage phase.
A victory on Tuesday and a win versus the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday would mean they advance to the semifinals in Las Vegas once again.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.