Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

Lakers Center's Return in Question After Insider Gives Major Update Before Offseason

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Toran Flores | Last updated May 28, 2025 1:38 PM ET

After a disappointing outing in the 2025 NBA Playoffs for the Los Angeles Lakers, the team's fall-off in the postseason came at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In the first-round exit, the Lakers struggled to match up with the Timberwolves' towering frontcourt.

This resulted in Los Angeles losing in five games, officially bringing their 2024-25 season to a close.

It became clear that head coach JJ Redick lacked trust in center Jaxson Hayes. Despite starting the first four games of the series, Hayes saw limited minutes and didn't play at all in the Lakers' final game of the season.

Hayes averaged just 7.5 minutes per game in the first-round series, leaving Lakers fans questioning why he didn't receive the 19.5 minutes he averaged during the regular season.

It seems that Hayes wasn't happy with how it turned out either, according to Lakers' insider Anthony Irwin.

"In terms of returning talent, sources say there is an outside chance of Jaxson Hayes returning, but he wasn't thrilled about his role disappearing in the postseason and the money he lost as his minutes dwindled," Irwin wrote Wednesday.

Jaxson Hayes reportedly wasn’t thrilled with his role on the Lakers toward the end of the season and isn’t expected to stay in L.A, per @AnthonyIrwinLA

“In terms of returning talent, sources say there is an outside chance of Jaxson Hayes returning, but he wasn't thrilled about… pic.twitter.com/JpxMMg9diN
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 28, 2025

Los Angeles traded away one of the league's top big men in the February deal that sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks and brought Luke Doncic to the Lakers.

It seemed that Los Angeles was going to fill the center void they had when they also agreed to a deal with the Charlotte Hornets that had center Mark Williams joining the Lakers in exchange for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and future draft picks.

The acquisition was canceled after it was reported that Mark Williams failed his physical and the Lakers were left with a roster that was lacking depth in the center position.

Fast forward to now, the Lakers' fall-off in the playoffs sparked behind the center position, and it's uncertain what steps Los Angeles will take in order to improve this offseason.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: