In a surprising turn of events, Lakers' center Jaxson Hayes has been handed a one-game suspension without pay for an incident involving the Washington Wizards' mascot that took place during pregame introductions last week. This announcement was officially made by the NBA on Wednesday.
Despite this disciplinary action, the Lakers triumphed over the Wizards with a commanding score of 142-111 on January 30, in what was the sixth matchup of an extensive eight-game road trip for Los Angeles. During this game, Hayes made notable contributions, scoring 10 points and grabbing three rebounds while coming off the bench.
Following the incident with the mascot, Hayes continued to play in the last two games of the road trip. However, he will be required to serve his suspension on Thursday when the Lakers face off against the Philadelphia 76ers, as confirmed by the league.
At just 25 years old, Hayes is currently averaging 6.4 points per game with an impressive shooting percentage of 77.5%, alongside 3.8 rebounds, primarily in his role as a backup big man for the Lakers this season. In exciting news for fans, he has also accepted an invitation to take part in the upcoming dunk contest later this month, a highlight event that showcases some of the most athletic feats in basketball.
