Pelicans Scoop

Pelicans Will Have to Pay Jaxson Hayes

The New Orleans Pelicans are about to get expensive. Brandon Ingram,  CJ McCollom, and Zion Williamson will take up most of the salary cap. Still, the Pelicans might have to pay Jaxson Hayes.

Chris Dodson

Pelicans Will Have to Pay Jaxson Hayes
Pelicans Will Have to Pay Jaxson Hayes /
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The New Orleans Pelicans' payroll is about to get expensive. 

New Orleans has already signed Brandon Ingram to a 5-year, $157M contract extension. CJ McCollom will be owed $68M over the next two seasons. The team will surely offer Zion Williamson a maximum-level rookie contract extension. Williamson’s qualifying offer ($17.5M) and cap hold ($33.8M) are both going to eat up cap space during any prolonged negotiations. 

Soon, the Pelicans will have to pay Jaxson Hayes.

Jaxon Hayes
Mar 4, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes (10) reacts after dunking against the Utah Jazz in the first quarter at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Sure, Hayes is a third-year pro still figuring things out. He even spent time with the Birmingham Squadron. But he is just 21 and starting to figure things out. Hayes is starting to show how much his game has grown since dominating the team's Nashville preseason camp. The Pelicans saw his potential then, picking up his fourth-year contract option back in October. It is paying off for New Orleans now, in the thick of a playoff race.

He will be worth the $6.8 million salary-cap hit next season if he maintains his current production. Hayes and the team will need an extension before the 2023-24 season though as Hayes has a $20 million cap hold on top of a $9.1 million qualifying offer. 

If his play keeps trending upwards, the Pelicans will have to pay him somewhere in the middle of those numbers. Hayes will be too valuable on both the court and trade market to let him go for free.

Hayes has shown a newfound versatility to his springy, athletic game. The team moved him to the power forward, stretch dunker spot role next to Jonas Valancuinas in the last game before the NBA All-Star break. Since then, he’s played to his strengths but has also shown a team-first mentality growth to his game. From his perimeter shot to his interior defense, Hayes has started to blossom in the team’s developmental program.

In the 12 games since moving to the starting four spot, Hayes has made 49 of his 79 shots. He is 7/12 from the three-point line. His baby hook with a soft touch is 10/18 from the midrange areas and he is 18/25 within the restricted area. He is averaging 11.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.5 free-throws per game to hold his own in the paint. He is also 1/1 for in-between the legs dunks.

“I spoke about it in the locker room,” Pelicans Head Coach Willie Green told the media after the Spurs win. “When he plays like that, it’s just hard to stop him. Really, it was his defense. He was blocking shots. He was flying around. He was rebounding the ball. The ball finds energy. It’s a credit to all the things he’s been doing to get himself prepared. Huge game on his part.”

Hayes credits his time in Birmingham with helping him understand his new role. “I feel like playing the 4, I’m out guarding more guards and switching 1 through 4 instead of playing in my actual drop coverage like the other bigs. I feel like at the position I’m in, I can showcase more of what I can do on the defensive end.”

Hayes explained in a shootaround after returning from a stint with the Squadron, “I feel like (his defense) is getting a lot better. I mean, guarding guys one-on-one is never the problem for me. It’s just more once I get in the pick-and-roll, learning how to get through that. Me and the coaches have been working on it a lot, so I’m getting a lot better.”

Hayes scored 16 points on eight shots, grabbed eight rebounds, and blocked three shots in San Antonio. The win helped push the Pelicans 2.5 games clear of the Spurs for the final play-in spot. 

Hayes is shooting 54% from beyond the arc in the month of March. It’s Madness everyone rooting for him after this offseason troubles just loves to see. However, he could prove an expensive luxury in the next few seasons if the roster is healthy.

Larry Nance Jr. and Zion Williamson could start eating into Hayes’ minutes as soon as next week. Hayes is a necessity now and a decent bargain on the court next season. He is also a great trade asset that could be signed to a multi-year deal. 

It does not matter whether David Griffin will view this move as part of keeping the family together or maintaining maximum roster flexibility. The New Orleans Pelicans will need to pay Jaxson Hayes.

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Chris Dodson
CHRIS DODSON

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