The metamorphosis of Jaxson Hayes

Arrived in the NBA as a slender and athletic pivot, Jaxson Hayes found a way to diversify his contribution and gain playing time… by being shifted to the position of strong winger.

Shortly before the All-Star Break, Willie Green tried to pair him up with Jonas Valanciunas in the paint, and the result has been pretty convincing ever since. In any case, he encouraged the Pelicans coach to repeat the operation, and it is clear that the former resident of Texas is showing himself to be more and more comfortable in his new role.

Like in high school

Result: When Jaxson Hayes and Jonas Valanciunas are teamed together in the paint, the Pelicans post a positive differential of +4.3 points on 100 possessions. This “tall ball” version of the Pelicans provides a defensive base between the kilos and experience of Valanciunas, and the relaxation and mobility of his young teammate. On the other side of the field, we discover that Hayes can shoot from afar, and even drive towards the circle.

Coming out of his game to 18 points in 22 minutes in the victory in Portland, Jaxson Hayes confided in thinking back to his years at Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, when he shot more often from 3-pointers, until a growth spurt does not redirect it inside.

“If you look at the highlights of my sophomore year, there are only 3-pointers. I can be seen coming out of the screens placed on the baseline”he recalled.

The interior therefore tried to find its good habits, shooting above all on open positions, preferably at the head of the racket or from the corner. And here too, the result is rather encouraging. Over the month of March, it thus turns at 47% of address at 8/17 in the exercise.

One more asset in his hands

In defense too, his rather mobile profile allows him to do the trick, even when he has to switch to outside players. Kevin Huerter can testify to this, he who found himself stuck in one-on-one.

“I just knew the time on the clock was almost up, so he was going to try to get me on a drive and I hit a stop. I didn’t want it to pass me”he remembered.

A similar situation repeated itself against Dejounte Murray of Spurs, in front of whom he did not bite a feint for a new counter that marked the spirits.

“I pulled him aside and said, ‘If you can do this consistently, there will be a lot of zeros on your checks at the end of your career.’ I’m going to keep pushing him to do it.”launched Larry Nance Jr.

With this additional asset in his game, Jaxson Hayes necessarily makes himself more useful in the eyes of his coach and his teammates. It remains to be seen what the Pelicans intend to do with him and whether they intend to keep him with his double cap behind Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas next season.

With one more year of his rookie contract to honour, the interior will be eligible for an extension this summer or will be able to test the market (probably as a protected free agent) at the end of the 2022/23 season. It’s up to him to raise his rating by then, to commit to the long term with New Orleans, or elsewhere.