Lakers Get Much-Needed Frontcourt Boost After All-Star Break

Help in the frontcourt arrives just in time as the Los Angeles Lakers prepare for a potential revenge game from Mark Williams in their Wednesday (Feb. 9) home matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, marking their first meeting since the voided trade.

The Lakers welcome back Jaxson Hayes, who suffered a facial contusion in the opening quarter of their 131-119 loss to the Utah Jazz on Feb. 12 before the NBA All-Star break.

After participating in Tuesday’s practice, Hayes is expected to start against Williams, who will be making his return to the Hornets.

Before his injury, Hayes had started six games, averaging 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 1.3 steals while shooting an incredible 82.1% from the field, primarily on dunks. He had four points, two rebounds, a steal, and a block in seven minutes before exiting against the Jazz.

Meanwhile, Alex Len, who was signed for the rest of the season, was forced into a starting role without practice. The Jazz capitalized on his lack of preparation, dominating inside and securing the win—avenging their 132-113 loss to the Lakers just two nights earlier in Los Angeles during Doncic’s debut.

Len’s stat line—4 points on 2-of-5 shooting, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block in 22 minutes—appeared respectable on paper but did not reflect his true impact. His numbers were padded during garbage time in the blowout loss.

The Lakers were outscored by nine points with Len on the floor, as Utah exploited his defense inside the paint. According to NBA matchup tracking data, the Jazz shot 7-of-10 against Len, with Lauri Markkanen and John Collins combining for a flawless 5-of-5 shooting performance in the paint.