CLEVELAND, OHIO – JANUARY 28: LeBron James #23 is helped to his feet by teammates Gabe Vincent #7 Jaxson Hayes #11 and Drew Timme #17 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on January 28, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Lakers 129-99. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

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Ricardo Sandoval

By Ricardo Sandoval

Contributing Sports Writer

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The NBA has announced that Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes has been suspended.

Hayes has been suspended one game without pay for pushing a Washington Wizards mascot during pre-game introductions.

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The incident happened on Friday night before the Lakers took on the Wizards. The Lakers defeated the Wizards 142-111, dominating the game in a wire-to-wire fashion.

More news: Giannis Antetokounmpo Delivers Clear Message on His Future With Bucks

Hayes finished the game with 10 points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal in 14 minutes of action.

The 25-year-old will serve the suspension on Feb. 5 when the Lakers host the Philadelphia 76ers.

CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 28: LeBron James #23 is helped to his feet by teammates Gabe Vincent #7 Jaxson Hayes #11 and Drew Timme #17 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on January 28, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Lakers 129-99. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

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Is Jaxson Hayes Becoming an Underrated Player for the Lakers?

The third-year Lakers center has been solid for them this season. In 41 games with four stars, Hayes is averaging 6.4 points per game, 3.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists while shooting 77.5 percent from the field.

Hayes has been a mainstay on the Lakers roster and in their frontcourt. In 126 games as a Laker, Hayes is averaging 5.4 points per game, 3.8 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 0.6 blocks while shooting 72.1 percent from the field in 15.6 minutes of action.

The Lakers are coming off their eight-game Grammy road trip, where they tallied a 5-3 record. They capped it off on Tuesday night with a dominant win over the Brooklyn Nets, 125-109. The Lakers stars showed up and showed out, as LeBron James recorded 25 points, while Luka Doncic scored 24 points in 29 minutes.

L.A. welcomed its fellow star guard, Austin Reaves, after missing 19 consecutive games with a left calf strain. In his return, Reaves recorded 15 points in 21 minutes.

In the season, the Lakers sit with a 30-19 record, which is good for the fifth seed in the loaded Western Conference. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games.

More news: Lakers Not Expected to Deal With One West Team Before Trade Deadline

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