Lakers heart Jaxson Hayes averted main damage on his proper wrist after a tough fall in Friday’s preseason finale as X-rays taken after the sport got here again destructive and an MRI scan revealed what Hayes on Sunday referred to as “a light-weight sprain.”
The 7-footer missed the second half of Friday’s exhibition recreation with a proper wrist contusion after he caught a lob from Luka Doncic and was bumped within the air whereas jamming a two-handed dunk within the first quarter. He stayed within the recreation for the second quarter and expects to be prepared for Tuesday’s regular-season opener in opposition to the Golden State Warriors.
“Being a dummy,” Hayes mentioned after apply Sunday of how he received damage on the play. “I shouldn’t have tried to catch myself, ought to’ve simply fallen.”
Hayes scored six factors within the preseason loss to the Sacramento Kings, all on hovering dunks. He and Doncic related on Hayes’ first basket of the sport as they have been enjoying collectively within the preseason for the primary time.
Doncic’s wizardry within the pick-and-roll makes him an athletic rim-running heart’s dream because the artful level guard drops passes from each conceivable angle. However in Doncic’s first coaching camp with the Lakers since final yr’s midseason commerce, gamers, together with new heart Deandre Ayton are nonetheless adjusting to Doncic’s passes.
Whereas coach JJ Redick mentioned he was proud of the Lakers’ 28 assists to 10 turnovers within the preseason recreation in opposition to the Kings, he estimated the crew missed seven help alternatives due to misfired lobs or overly sophisticated passes.
“For all bigs and level guards, whenever you begin enjoying with a brand new large or a brand new level guard, it’s a studying interval,” Hayes mentioned. “You simply learn the way they like their screens. You learn the way they such as you to roll to the ring. It’s simply little issues. You be taught the place they prefer to cross you the ball. … It’s simply these guys [Doncic and Ayton] are figuring one another out, similar to me and Luka did final yr.”
The chemistry between Hayes and Doncic has gotten so robust that Hayes is being recruited to hitch the Slovenian nationwide crew and mentioned he’s engaged on getting a Slovenian passport. He and Doncic are each shoppers of agent Invoice Duffy, and Doncic and his household have been concerned within the course of for a few yr and half, Hayes mentioned.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic seems up the ground whereas dribbling throughout a preseason recreation in opposition to the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 14.
(Kelsey Grant / Getty Photographs)
Hayes watched Slovenia’s run to the quarterfinals in EuroBasket with a cautious eye figuring out that becoming a member of the crew could possibly be a risk for him sooner or later. FIBA permits every nationwide crew to have one naturalized participant, which the worldwide basketball governing physique defines as a participant who obtains their passport for that nation after turning 16.
Hayes mentioned he had hopes of representing america, however USA Basketball doesn’t have open tryouts for senior nationwide groups.
“I needed to simply play on that stage,” Hayes mentioned. “So I’m going do no matter it takes to play on that stage.”
And so on.
The Lakers minimize down their roster to 14 commonplace contract gamers on Saturday, waiving RJ Davis, Augustas Marciulionis, Anton Watson and Nate Williams after coaching camp formally ended. The crew saved heart Christian Koloko and guards Chris Manon and Nick Smith Jr. on two-way contracts. … Manon was nursing an ankle damage throughout coaching camp however was a full participant in apply on Sunday. Bronny James (ankle) and rookie Adou Thiero (knee) went by means of a modified exercise.
