In this series, we’ll grade each New Orleans Pelicans’ player on the season they had before the hiatus. Today’s grade book features Jaxson Hayes.
Jaxson Hayes is one of the New Orleans Pelicans’ most intriguing young stars and has given the team plenty of reason to be excited.
Hayes is just a 19-year-old rookie, so it is not surprising that his season has been up and down.
He’s shown flashes of his potential with huge blocks and dunks, but he has also shown some areas he needs to improve, particularly on the defensive end.
Most people will either remember Hayes’ rookie season for its highlight-reel dunks or his NSFW rant after he didn’t make the Rising Stars Challenge.
Hayes eventually apologized for his rant and all was forgiven, so we prefer to remember his rookie season for plays like this:
J.J. Redick‘s face says it all.
Hayes has the type of elite athleticism, hops and motor to be a force, as you saw above. He challenged the shot at the rim, beat his defender back and stayed with the rebound for the big dunk.
I’ll offer Exhibit B of Hayes insane leaping ability. He nearly jumps over the defender on this dunk and then blocks a shot with his elbow. Check this out:
Though Hayes is averaging just 7.5 points and four rebounds a game, he did have some big games for the New Orleans Pelicans in his rookie campaign.
He had a stretch from December 5th to December 17th where he scored double-digits in six of seven games.
Hayes had three double-doubles on the season including back-to-back contests against the Bulls and Knicks.
These numbers are even more impressive when you consider Hayes only played 17 minutes per game on average.
In fact, when you look at his per-36 numbers of 15.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and two blocks, you can see why the New Orleans Pelicans are excited.
Most teenage rookies never get off the bench, so it was nice to see Hayes get some run, even if he had started to rack up the DNP’s before the hiatus.
I don’t think anyone would argue that Hayes’ first year has been a success. He’s done a lot right, but there are some things he needs to improve.
Let’s break down Jaxson Hayes’ first season and get to the grade.
What Jaxson Hayes did well
Coming into the season the New Orleans Pelicans probably weren’t expecting much out of Jaxson Hayes.
Though he was selected 8th overall (by the Hawks and then traded to the Pels), his game was raw and most figured it would be a year or two before Hayes was ready to contribute.
Then Hayes had a big summer league and preseason, doing something spectacular nearly every game. Check out these highlights:
Jaxson Hayes had 19 points in his very first game of the regular season and New Orleans Pelicans’ fans lost their minds.
It looked like they had a potential star to go along with Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball.
Though Hayes eventually cooled off, he did enough well to warrant that excitement.
Hayes has a high motor and runs the floor as well or better than most centers in the NBA. He’s going to have a long career catching lobs from Lonzo just because he hustles.
Hayes showed occasional weak side shotblocking, and the potential to be an elite offensive rebounder.
If you don’t get a body on Jaxson Hayes in the lane, he will make you pay with a put-back and might put you on a poster in the process.
When Hayes had the ball close the hoop, he showed that he knows what to do with it, as he shot 66% from the field.
Defensively Hayes showed the ability to use his length to alter shots and the potential to be an elite rim protector.
If the season is over, it has been a successful one for Jaxson Hayes, as he has shown he can do the things the New Orleans Pelicans need him to do: run the floor, dunk, protect the rim and disrupt plays in the lane.
But Hayes does have some areas he needs to improve if he wants increased minutes in his second year.
What Jaxson Hayes needs to improve
Those who think Jaxson Hayes is going to be a 3-point shooting stretch-five for the New Orleans Pelicans need to relax.
Teenage rookie centers don’t generally come into the league with much shooting ability and the Pelicans don’t need Hayes to be Marc Gasol.
His shot will come with time, and if Hayes ever develops even a mid-range game he’ll be an offensive force.
The New Orleans Pelicans have one of the top scoring offenses in the NBA, so they don’t need Jaxson Hayes to be a long-range shooter.
But it would be nice if he improved his free-throw shooting. Hayes figures to draw a lot of contact and fouls, so he needs to shoot better than 63% from the line.
Most of what Hayes needs to improve revolves around understanding of the game, knowing where to be and defensive rotations.
Hayes was often out of position on defense or slow to rotate, which left his man open for dunks.
He got pulled from games several times after only a couple of minutes when Alvin Gentry was clearly exacerbated by his defensive mistakes.
Defensive rotations are probably the hardest thing for rookies, particularly big men, so we expect Jaxson Hayes to make big strides in that area in year two.
Hayes also needs to improve his rebounding, especially on the defensive end. He’s only grabbing 5.3 defensive rebounds per-36 minutes, which is not great for a center.
Hayes has the tendency to look for the big dunk on the offensive end, but needs to put in the work on the defensive glass to finish possessions and help the New Orleans Pelicans get out on the break.
He also has a tendency to go for the big block instead of staying in defensive position and can fall victim to pump fakes which cause him to pick up silly fouls.
Part of the reason Jaxson Hayes only averaged 17 minutes a game is that he often picked up quick fouls or got lost on defense.
This may seem like nit-picking considering Hayes is a teenager (and it is) but with Zion and Ingram at forward the Pelicans really need their center to play elite defense, rebound the ball and run the floor. That’s it.
His season was up and down but overall a success, so how does Jaxson Hayes grade out overall?
Season grade for Jaxson Hayes
Jaxson Hayes did a lot right for the New Orleans Pelicans and gave a 56-game glimpse of what he can be.
He was having a hard time getting off the bench before the hiatus, largely due to his defensive positioning and fouls, but overall the season has been a success.
Like most rookies, Hayes has to adjust to not being the focal point of his team, to doing the little things that contribute to winning basketball.
Hayes needs to stay in his lane, to become the dominant shot blocker and rebounder he is destined to be.
He needs to let the bevy of playmakers and scorers on the New Orleans Pelicans do their thing and just worry about being the best at the things they need.
If Derrick Favors leaves in free agency there is a chance Hayes will be the starter next season, but either way he’ll be playing big minutes.
He has a very team-friendly contract, so if he can develop the complimentary skills to go with Zion, Ingram, Ball and Jrue Holiday, he will be a very important member of this team.
There are few teams in the league with as much young talent as the New Orleans Pelicans and at times Hayes seemed more like a luxury add-on than a vital member of the team.
That has to change next season. If Hayes can get better on the defensive end, improve his rebounding and free-throw shooting, he will take that step.
It’s going to be fun to watch his progression, as Jaxson Hayes has exciting potential. If he continues to improve he could be the ideal center for the New Orleans Pelicans.
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