The Utah Jazz front office had a busy Wednesday. Hours after sending Walker Kessler to the Lakers for a pile of future draft picks, they turned around and added a former Laker to fill the hole in the middle.
Jaxson Hayes is signing a two-year, $12 million deal with Utah, according to Tim McMahon of ESPN. The second year is a team option, which gives the Jazz some flexibility. Hayes was a free agent after two uneven seasons in Los Angeles.
Hayes never quite figured it out with the Lakers. The athleticism that made him a lottery pick in 2019 is obvious when he runs the floor or finishes lobs. But his defense was spotty, his hands were inconsistent around the rim, and he never fully earned the trust of the coaching staff during playoff runs. Fans in L.A. were frustrated by the lapses.
Now he lands in Salt Lake City, where the frontcourt just lost its best defender. Kessler anchored the Jazz defense and had trade value around the league. Utah cashed in on that value with the Lakers, but they still need somebody to play center minutes. Hayes is the guy for now.
He joins a roster that has some interesting pieces. The Jazz took Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 pick in the draft. Lauri Markkanen is still there, and Jaren Jackson Jr. will slide over to the frontcourt as well. There is plenty of length and shooting on the floor. Hayes just has to be a complementary piece.
It is not clear if Hayes will start. The Jazz could go small or bring him off the bench depending on matchups. But he will get minutes. Utah is not ready to contend yet, but they are building something. Hayes might be a short-term stopgap or something more if he finally puts it together.
Either way, it is a low-risk move for a team that just added more draft capital and wants to see what it has in its young players. The Jazz are collecting assets and filling out the roster at the same time. That is a decent spot to be in.
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