Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick chats with Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick chats with Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Los Angeles Lakers may be shorthanded again as they try to rebound from a humiliating home loss.
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes is questionable for Tuesday night’s matchup against the Orlando Magic, head coach JJ Redick revealed Monday.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, imaging on Hayes’ right ankle showed a “small bruise,” and the big man will be monitored on a day-to-day basis.
“JJ Redick says Jaxson Hayes received imaging on his right ankle Monday, which showed a ‘small bruise,’” McMenamin reported on X. “Redick said Hayes is day-to-day going forward and assumed the backup center will be listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game vs. ORL.”
Hayes Injury Adds to Post-Celtics Concerns
Hayes exited early in Sunday’s loss to the Boston Celtics, logging just five minutes before being ruled out. He finished with two points and one rebound as the Lakers unraveled in an embarrassing 111–89 defeat.
Before the injury, Hayes had been providing steady production off the bench, averaging 6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per game. While not a centerpiece, his absence thins an already fragile Lakers frontcourt rotation.
Los Angeles enters Tuesday fifth in the Western Conference at 34–22, but momentum has clearly stalled following Sunday’s no-show.
James Worthy Unloads After Lakers’ Effort Questioned
The loss was especially jarring given the circumstances. It came on the same night the franchise unveiled a statue honoring Pat Riley — and against a Celtics team still missing Jayson Tatum.
Lakers legend James Worthy, who was in attendance, did not mince words afterward.
“This game, to me, wasn’t about stats,” Worthy said. “No heart. Weak.”
Worthy emphasized that the Lakers finally had Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves on the floor together — and still failed to respond.
“No Tatum, you’re at home, you’re in fifth place, you’re trying to move up,” Worthy said. “You show no respect for the uniform.”
Boston controlled the game after the opening quarter, outscoring the Lakers in each of the final three periods. The Celtics dominated from beyond the arc and inside, finishing with 11 more assists and 11 more rebounds. Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard each topped 30 points, while Dončić led Los Angeles with 25.
Slovenian Twist Could Shape Hayes’ Future
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his ankle — and his contract — Hayes may have quietly strengthened his long-term outlook in Los Angeles.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst revealed earlier this month that Hayes has completed the paperwork to become a naturalized Slovenian citizen, making him eligible to play for Slovenia alongside Dončić in international competition.
“Jaxson Hayes completed the paperwork to become a Slovenian,” Windhorst said on Feb. 11 episode of The Hoop Collective podcast. “He can join the Slovenian national team for Luka, which I’d like to say is one of the smartest things Jaxson Hayes has ever done because I think he’s just secretly signed a contract extension.”
Hayes originally joined the Lakers in 2023 on a two-year, $4.6 million deal before returning last offseason on a one-year, $3.4 million contract. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Hayes and Dončić share the same agent, Bill Duffy of WME Sports, adding another layer to the connection.
Back in October, Hayes explained his motivation for pursuing Slovenian basketball eligibility.
“They came to me with the idea,” Hayes said at the time. “USA doesn’t do open tryouts, and I just wanted to play on that stage. I’m gonna do whatever it takes to play on that stage.”
Even if Hayes does not re-sign with the Lakers, the move ensures he will remain connected to Dončić in future FIBA tournaments — with an eye toward qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
For now, however, the Lakers’ immediate concern is far more urgent: getting healthy, responding to internal criticism, and proving Sunday’s collapse was an outlier — not a warning sign.