Hayes officially returns to the Lakers for one-year contract, giving up the trade veto, and exchanges for flexible exit channels

The Los Angeles Lakers completed another signing today. According to the latest report by Los Angeles Times reporter Dan Walker today, center Jaxson Hayes has decided to sign a one-year contract with the Lakers to return to the team, and has also given up the trade veto. Therefore, the only trading limit for the Lakers on Hayes is time. According to the league regulations, he will not be used for trading again until mid-December this year. Hayes decided to return to the Lakers on a one-year contract, which is beyond the expectations of many people, because there were previous reports that he was not satisfied with the Lakers.

Under the NBA's labor and capital agreement, a player will automatically obtain a trade veto when he signs a one-year contract (or a two-year contract with the second year of choice) with the team he previously played for. However, players can choose to voluntarily give up the veto power of this transaction so that they may be traded to other teams. The Lakers signed a similar contract with D'Angelo Russell in 2023. Russell also gave up the veto power of the transaction and was eventually traded by the Lakers in 2024.

His, 25, started 35 games for the Lakers last season, but since the Lakers signed center DeAndre Ayton, who was bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers in the free agent market, Hayes will return as the team's substitute center in the new season. Hayes, who is 2.13 meters tall, can average 6.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in the 2024-25 season, but his statistics may drop if Ayton plays the Lakers' starting center next season. By giving up the trade veto, Hayes will give the Lakers some greater flexibility to upgrade and will also open the door for himself so that he can be traded to other teams more conveniently. With two centers, Ayton and Hayes already, the Lakers may not add another center to the free agent market, and their center position strengthening has ended.