Lakers center Jackson Hayes avoided serious injury to his right wrist after big fall in Friday's pre-season final X-rays taken after the game came back negative, and an MRI revealed what Hayes called a “mild sprain” on Sunday.
The 7-footer missed the second half of Friday's exhibition game with a bruised right wrist after catching a ball from Luka Doncic and was thrown into the air during a two-handed dunk in the first quarter. He remained in the game through the second quarter and hopes to be ready for Tuesday's regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors.
“I was a fool,” Hayes said after Sunday's practice about being injured during the game. “I shouldn't have tried to catch myself, I should have just fallen.”
Hayes scored six points in a preseason loss to the Sacramento Kings, all on high-flying dunks. He and Doncic connected on Hayes' first basket of the game as it was the first time they had played together in the preseason.
Doncic's wizardry in the pick-and-roll makes him an athletic center's dream, with the slick point guard making passes from every angle imaginable. But at Doncic's first training camp with the Lakers last year's mid-season dealplayers, including new center Deandre Ayton still adjusting to Doncic's passing.
Bye coach JJ Redick Said he was pleased with the Lakers' 28 assists and 10 turnovers in a preseason game against the Kings. He estimates the team missed seven passing opportunities due to poor crosses or overly difficult passes.
“For all the bigs and point guards, when you start playing with a new big or a new point guard, it's a learning curve,” Hayes said. “You just learn how they like their screens. You learn how they like it when you roll to the rim. It's just little things. You learn where they like to get the ball to you… It's just these guys. [Doncic and Ayton] we are figuring each other out like Luka and I did last year.
The chemistry between Hayes and Doncic has become so strong that Hayes has been invited to join the Slovenian national team and has stated that he is working on obtaining a Slovenian passport. He and Doncic are both clients of agent Bill Duffy, and Doncic and his family have been involved in the process for about a year and a half, Hayes said.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic looks at the floor while dribbling during a preseason game against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 14.
(Kelsey Grant/Getty Images)
Hayes closely followed the Slovenians' run to the EuroBasket quarterfinals, knowing that joining the team could be an opportunity for him in the future. FIBA allows each national team to have one naturalized player, which basketball's international governing body defines as a player who has received that country's passport after reaching the age of 16.
Hayes said he hopes to represent the United States, but USA Basketball does not have open tryouts for senior national teams.
“I just wanted to play on that stage,” Hayes said. “So I will do my best to play on this stage.”
Etc.
On Saturday, the Lakers trimmed their roster to 14 players on a standard contract, waiving RJ Davis, Augustas Marciulionis, Anton Watson and Nate Williams after training camp officially ended. The team retained center Christian Koloko and guards Chris Manon and Nick Smith Jr. on two-way contracts. … Manon was nursing an ankle injury during training camp but was a full participant in practice on Sunday. Bronny James (ankle) and rookie Adu Thiero (knee) completed modified training.
