"Get him off my team" - Lakers fans irate as Jaxson Hayes' ankle sprain aggravates depth issues at backup Center

The LA Lakers’ frontcourt problems have been piling up this season as backup center Jaxson Hayes is set to miss an extensive period due to an ankle injury. Hayes has been playing as a reliever for Anthony Davis, giving the team an instant lob threat with high energy off the bench.

According to a report by Shams Chanaria of ESPN, Hayes will miss two to three weeks after reinjuring his ankle on a dunk attempt against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. He has already missed the last two games, but an MRI showed that he will need more time for it to heal.

With the announcement, Lakers fans were not happy, expressing their frustrations on social media, with some even calling for Hayes’ removal from the team.

“Just get him off my team we’ve seen enough,” one fan said .

“We need a center, man,” another fan wrote.

“Bronny can play center. They will be fine,” a fan commented.

Others pointed out Hayes’ value to the squad, highlighting that losing him for a few weeks would hurt their center rotation behind Davis and move up the stacked Western Conference standings.

“The Lakers need for center depth continues to grow…,” one fan wrote.

“Lakers need to get an actual good Center next to AD or at least a DECENT back up,” another fan said.

“Lakers better start wrapping him in bubble wrap,” a fan wrote.

The Lakers are at 11-8, good for sixth in the conference, and have won six of their last 10 games.

Hayes is averaging 6.4 points and 4.5 rebounds in 11 games.

After Hayes’ injury, Christian Kaloko next in line for backup center role

Jaxson Hayes’ injury opens a chance for Christian Koloko to prove his worth as he is set to be the backup center while Hayes recovers from the ankle injury.

Koloko has played 10 games this season, averaging 2.2 ppg and 1.8 rpg in 9.2 minutes.

Koloko signed with the Lakers in the offseason to add depth to their center position as Christian Wood has suffered a setback in his recovery process from an offseason surgery in his left knee.

Koloko last played for the Toronto Raptors in the 2022-2023 season, before sitting out the entire 2023-2024 campaign due to a blood clot. He started in 19 of the 58 games he played with the Raptors and recorded 3.1 ppg and 2.9 rpg.