Jaxson Hayes

[NMThreeMVP]

Given that Zion said in an interview with Rachel Nichols that he's not really that interested in doing the dunk contest, whereas I think Hayes would probably be interested, pretty high.

Hayes is ridiculously athletic.

I think Nike/NBA will see it to that there is the proper incentive for him to reconsider!

[Pelicanidae]

They were both playing on trash teams, but Texas did have more talent, Georgia was completely void of any semblance of talent. The area in which Claxton has a good bit of an edge is handle and passing. Georgia’s offense ran through Claxton, and he was asked to be the primary playmaker. Obviously that won’t be his role in the NBA, but he actually performed pretty well. He could be an absolutely devastating pick and roll cover with his playmaking ability. I am sold on Hayes having more defensive potential, but Claxton ceiling there is pretty high as well. Hayes might have legit defensive player of the year potential on the high-high side of his potential. The only reason Im bring it up is if Hayes was the pick I would have liked to have gotten some value back and traded down, and taken Claxton later on.

I think there's something to be said for drafting the guy you believe in as a person as well. I don't know anything about Claxton as a person, really, but I know that Hayes had some contact with Griff before the draft itself, and if Griff talked to him and saw the value in him as an individual, then I think that kind of off-sets any debatable quibbles surrounding whether he or any other big was the guy. If that's true, there's no point in trading down for someone with a superficially similar game: you take the man you want.

I agree that Claxton did fairly well in his role in college even if it was a little unusual, but I do think Hayes has a not just a slightly higher, but a much higher ceiling.

[Pelicanidae]

I think Nike/NBA will see it to that there is the proper incentive for him to reconsider!

Possibly, but given that they never managed to persuade Lebron, who knows?

[Mythrol]

So a couple things.


First, I think people are confused about Hayes and when he started playing basketball. He isn't new to basketball. He played all through high school and maybe middle school (I'm not sure about earlier than high school). He's new to his body because he started high school at 6ft tall. And ended it at 6'11. For example Diallo is a guy who started playing the game late. That's not Hayes. He knows basketball. He's just got to grow into his body.

Second, because of how fast he grew I don't think he will be getting 20-25 minutes a game his rookie season. This doesn't mean he's some bust, it means he is developing.

I know it's kind of a crazy comparison and I hate to even say it but Hayes has went down a similar path to AD, a guard who grew crazy fast while in high school. Now granted, AD was further along in knowing how to rebound and other big traits but their touch and ability with the ball in their hands is remarkably similar. Both are super athletic too and have skills that big men typically don't have.

He's a pick that has a huge upside because once his body develops and he learns to play the game like a big man he can be dominant. There just aren't many bigs that have his skill set or potential.

[Pelicanidae]

So a couple things.


First, I think people are confused about Hayes and when he started playing basketball. He isn't new to basketball. He played all through high school and maybe middle school (I'm not sure about earlier than high school). He's new to his body because he started high school at 6ft tall. And ended it at 6'11. For example Diallo is a guy who started playing the game late. That's not Hayes. He knows basketball. He's just got to grow into his body.

Second, because of how fast he grew I don't think he will be getting 20-25 minutes a game his rookie season. This doesn't mean he's some bust, it means he is developing.

I know it's kind of a crazy comparison and I hate to even say it but Hayes has went down a similar path to AD, a guard who grew crazy fast while in high school. Now granted, AD was further along in knowing how to rebound and other big traits but their touch and ability with the ball in their hands is remarkably similar. Both are super athletic too and have skills that big men typically don't have.

He's a pick that has a huge upside because once his body develops and he learns to play the game like a big man he can be dominant. There just aren't many bigs that have his skill set or potential.

I agree with this, for the most part. I do think that we can give him 15 minutes a game though. If we survived running rookie Diallo for 10 minutes, who was worse than Hayes is at this point, we can survive running Hayes for 15 and I think it would help his development rather than hinder it.

Hayes' touch is extremely good, you're right about that. He needs that coaching and to work with the training staff to really learn to play like a big man, to screen well (although he already sets good brush screens and slides naturally into the roll, which is encouraging), to box out properly, and to play in good defensive position on the perimeter. But all that ability is there, just waiting to be brought out.

[ThePelicast]

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[SmontySwilliams]

Very true. He is also developing a sweet little jump hook reminiscent of Kareem that looks unstoppable. I am seriously stoked to see his development over the next few years.

If he masters the jump hook, I will become his biggest fan.

[Saints#34]

So a couple things.


First, I think people are confused about Hayes and when he started playing basketball. He isn't new to basketball. He played all through high school and maybe middle school (I'm not sure about earlier than high school). He's new to his body because he started high school at 6ft tall. And ended it at 6'11. For example Diallo is a guy who started playing the game late. That's not Hayes. He knows basketball. He's just got to grow into his body.

Second, because of how fast he grew I don't think he will be getting 20-25 minutes a game his rookie season. This doesn't mean he's some bust, it means he is developing.

I know it's kind of a crazy comparison and I hate to even say it but Hayes has went down a similar path to AD, a guard who grew crazy fast while in high school. Now granted, AD was further along in knowing how to rebound and other big traits but their touch and ability with the ball in their hands is remarkably similar. Both are super athletic too and have skills that big men typically don't have.

He's a pick that has a huge upside because once his body develops and he learns to play the game like a big man he can be dominant. There just aren't many bigs that have his skill set or potential.

Admittedly only having watched highlights of Hayes I too thought he had an AD vibe coming out. That doesn’t mean he will be AD. People forget that AD has essentially hit the ceiling of what people thought he could be coming out, in terms of ranges of projection. He was raw and developed well.

Hayes seems very similar. Tall lanky athletic guy who developed quickly from a guard’s body to a PF/C body. I think he has all the same upside. Whether he develops into “AD” is anyone’s guess but he has very similar tools.

Just imagine for a second that Zion and Hayes hit that potential. That would really be something.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[luckyman]

He is more raw than AD coming out, and that says something. Hayes will need A LOT of time. I personally cant see this year being nothing but a redshirt/g-league type year. Maybe some NBA minutes late in the year when playoffs are out of reach.

[Pelicanidae]

He is more raw than AD coming out, and that says something. Hayes will need A LOT of time. I personally cant see this year being nothing but a redshirt/g-league type year. Maybe some NBA minutes late in the year when playoffs are out of reach.

More raw on defense? Yes.

On offense? Not much more raw, to be honest. People forget that when AD came into the league, his offensive repertoire was extremely limited. He had putbacks, and a couple of other touches from within 10 feet. That's pretty much what he flashed in college.

Hayes in college was almost all putbacks and dunks, but also showed a lot of nice touch on layups and also showed a very nice touch on some jump hooks.

[luckyman]

More raw on defense? Yes.

On offense? Not much more raw, to be honest. People forget that when AD came into the league, his offensive repertoire was extremely limited. He had putbacks, and a couple of other touches from within 10 feet. That's pretty much what he flashed in college.

Hayes in college was almost all putbacks and dunks, but also showed a lot of nice touch on layups and also showed a very nice touch on some jump hooks.

Yeah only if you looked at the highlights. He had many other possessions that looked straight up awkward. AD might have been very limited offensively, but he never looked awkward with arms flailing and such.

Hayes needs work on both ends. But he has time.

[Pelicanidae]

Yeah only if you looked at the highlights. He had many other possessions that looked straight up awkward. AD migh thave been limited offensively, but he never looked awkward with arms flailing.

Hayes needs work on both ends. But he has time.

I've watched full games. Yes, Hayes sometimes looked a little awkward, generally when being bodied. He needs to put on muscle more than anything.

AD never looked awkward as a rookie/college player? Okay.

[Mythrol]

Yeah only if you looked at the highlights. He had many other possessions that looked straight up awkward. AD might have been very limited offensively, but he never looked awkward with arms flailing and such.

Hayes needs work on both ends. But he has time.

What are you talking about? AD STILL looks awkward as heck with arms flailing on offense. He's always falling at crazy awkward angles too.

[luckyman]

What are you talking about? AD STILL looks awkward as heck with arms flailing on offense. He's always falling at crazy awkward angles too.

Omg this forum man I tell ya. LOL. AD looks awkward huh? His arms still flail huh?

wtf

[Mythrol]

Omg this forum man I tell ya. LOL. AD looks awkward huh? His arms still flail huh?

wtf

You can't tell me you haven't seen AD flailing around on offense for years. You can't. I simply refuse to believe it, Unless your definition of flailing is totally different than the actual dictionary definition.

A very large portion of AD's offensive game is awkward, crazy leaps and put backs where he ends up flailing his arms and falling in extremely awkward ways... There has literally been running jokes on this forum about AD has to come out of almost every game because of awkward falls he takes.