Los Angeles Lakers Re-Sign Former Texas Longhorns Forward

AUSTIN -- The Los Angeles Lakers are retaining a former Texas Longhorns star this offseason as NBA Free Agency continues.

Per reports from ESPN's Shams Charania, the Lakers have reached an agreement to re-sign center Jaxson Hayes to a one-year deal. The No. 8 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Hayes averaged 6.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in 56 games (35 starts) for Los Angeles this past season. He was originally listed as a forward during his time at Texas before receiving the "center" designation in the NBA.

"Free agent center Jaxson Hayes has agreed on a one-year deal to return to the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN," Charania wrote on X. "Hayes' agents, Bill Duffy and Marlon Harrison of WME Basketball, finalized a contract with Lakers president Rob Pelinka on Thursday."

Hayes was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans prior to the start of his rookie year. As a rookie in New Orleans, he averaged 7.4 points on 67.2 percent shooting. Hayes then had a career-best season during the 2021-22 campaign when he tallied a career-high 9.3 points per game along with 4.5 rebounds in 70 appearances (28 starts).

More Lakers Roster Moves

Along with re-signing Hayes, the Lakers will also be signing Sacramento Kings forward Jake LaRavia and former No. 1 overall pick DeAndre Ayton.

Additionally, the Lakers signed former Texas forward Arthur Kaluma to an Exhibit 10 deal, giving him a chance to impress the front office during the Summer League. Kaluma transferred to Texas last offseason and spent just one year in Austin under now-former head coach Rodney Terry.

Jaxon Hayes' Texas career

Hayes spent just one year at Texas, where he committed to playing for head coach Shaka Smart. He started 21 of 32 games for the Longhorns while posting 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per contest.

Hayes was a part of a impressive seven-year stretch for Texas big men in the NBA Draft, which featured five first-round picks. Myles Turner got things started in 2015 before Jarrett Allen (2017), Mo Bamba (2018), Hayes (2019) and Kai Jones (2021) also became first-round picks in the years to follow.

Additionally, Texas saw the second-round selections of Greg Brown and Jericho Sims in 2021, giving the Longhorns seven draftees in seven years, all of whom were frontcourt players.

Hayes had been the most recent Longhorn to be a Top 10 selection before the Washington Wizards selected Texas guard Tre Johnson sixth overall in last month's draft. Johnson was also the first Texas guard drafted since Cory Joseph in 2011.