The Los Angeles Lakers started Jaxson Hayes at center after trading Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in the blockbuster Luka Doncic trade.
Hayes averaged 8.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 0.9 blocks after the Davis-Doncic trade, but he struggled in the first round of the 2025 playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, a series the Lakers lost in five games.
Hayes averaged only 1.8 points and 2.0 rebounds against the Timberwolves. He didn't play in the second half of Game 4 or all of Game 5.
Los Angeles is expected to attempt to acquire a center this offseason and Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report believes the franchise should sign a one-time NBA champion.
Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers have been urged to sign Brook Lopez.
© Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Buckley urged the Lakers to sign Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez, who becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
"L.A. has several different ways to address this vacancy, but some are more preferable than others. A simple solution, for instance, would involve luring one-time Laker Brook Lopez back to Hollywood in free agency," Buckley wrote.
According to Matt Moore of Hardwood Paroxysm, Lopez is expected to leave the Bucks this offseason.
A Stanford product, Lopez appeared in 80 games for the Bucks this season. He averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 50.9% from the field, 37.3% from beyond the arc and 82.6% from the free-throw line.
A one-time All-Star, Lopez helped Milwaukee win the 2021 championship against the Phoenix Suns. He has played for the Brooklyn Nets, Lakers and Bucks.
Lopez has career averages of 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
"Lopez's ability to stretch the floor would make Luka Doncic's life easier in a different way. Lopez is on a nine-year run of averaging at least 1.4 three-pointers, and he has converted a healthy 35.4 percent of his long-range looks during this stretch," Buckley wrote.