July 1, 2023
Hayes agreed to a two-year deal with the Lakers on Saturday,
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. The second year of the contract is a player option.
ANALYSISHayes will head to Los Angeles after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Pelicans. In 2022-23, the 23-year-old big man saw a diminished role, averaging career lows in points (5.0), rebounds (2.8) and minutes (13.0). However, Hayes should get the chance to compete for the backup center job behind
Anthony Davis in Los Angeles.