LeBron James has openly praised his teammate Jaxson Hayes for stepping up in a major way following the Los Angeles Lakers’ blockbuster trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks.
During an appearance on the Mind The Game podcast with Steve Nash, James was full of compliments for Hayes, highlighting his crucial role in filling the void left by Davis’ departure.
“First of all, I mean—I gotta give a big, big shoutout and credit to Jaxson Hayes, man. Him stepping into that void after losing AD? That’s a lot. That’s a lot of scoring, a lot of defensive protection, a lot of rebounding, a lot of blocked shots,” James said, via HoopsHype.
The Lakers had big shoes to fill after trading Davis, who was a constant presence on both ends of the floor. However, James stressed that Hayes wasn’t asked to replicate Davis’ exact production. Instead, the Lakers relied on Hayes to bring energy and focus on specific aspects of the game.
“We needed Jaxson to bring high energy, to be a force on offense—run the floor, set great screens, be a lob threat,” James explained. “But he’s just made great decisions. He’s been able to catch it in the pocket, stay balanced, either dunk it home or find guys on the perimeter.”
Hayes, 24, is averaging 7 points and 4.7 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game this season. However, since the trade, he has increased his production, averaging 8.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22.9 minutes per game.
The trade has clearly put a new level of responsibility on Hayes. While Davis was one of the league’s best defensive players, James noted that the team had to adapt quickly.
“Losing Anthony Davis, who’s a Defensive Player of the Year candidate every year—it was one of two things for us. When we lost him, it was either: Be the worst defensive team in the league, or say, ‘Oh, we don’t have AD to cover our asses—so now we’ve got to play even harder.’”
James emphasized the importance of team defense without Davis, stating that it would take collective effort and heightened intensity to make up for the absence of such a dominant individual defender.
“We have to be on a string in order to get stops. We know the NBA is a game of offense—how the game is read, how it’s played—it favors the offense. But defense, and timely stops, matter. If you can get one or two stops—or three stops in a row in crunch time—you can crack a game open,” James added.
Before the trade, Davis was putting up impressive numbers, averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game. His absence has left a significant gap, but Hayes’ adaptability and ability to impact games in different ways have helped keep the Lakers competitive.
The Lakers are currently sitting in fourth place in the Western Conference with a 46-29 record. Despite the loss of Davis, they remain in strong playoff contention.
Hayes has not only stepped up offensively but has also become a key part of the Lakers’ rotation, making significant contributions in both scoring and rebounding.
