Lakers Rule Out Big Man For Timberwolves Match

Hayes is dealing with a left knee injury described as soreness. He played 14 minutes against the Golden State Warriors in Tuesday's season opener.

He scored four points and grabbed six rebounds. Luckily for the Lakers, they signed Deandre Ayton, a starting-caliber center that allows Hayes to return to a backup role.

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Hayes had also been dealing with a wrist sprain he sustained during the preseason. Friday's game off could give him the rest he needs to feel 100 percent.

Considering how Hayes' season ended, it was surprising to see him stay. The Lakers lacked physicality during the playoffs, and that was the main reason for their elimination.

Hayes was unstoppable in the postseason, forcing JJ Redick to use smaller lineups or try giving Alex Len and Maxi Kleber minutes instead.

The Lakers made it clear they wanted an upgrade at center, and it seemed like Hayes would be leaving to start fresh.

Instead, he re-signed for another season, and he said that Redick ended up apologizing for their playing time.

“He just told me ‘sorry’ and that’s what he wanted to do,” Hayes said. “That was the lineup they all talked about, the coaches talked about.”

“Obviously, as a competitor, you want to be in there and you want to help your team win whenever you can. That was just a lot for me to swallow. At the end of the year, me and JJ had a bunch of talks and talked it through. So, we got through that, obviously.”

Now, he is a back-up for Ayton, playing key minutes in the rotation once he gets back on the court.

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