Jaxson Hayes Receives Final Injury Designation for Lakers vs. Nuggets

The Los Angeles Lakers have gotten closer and closer to being at full strength, with LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Maxi Kleber and Jaxson Hayes dealing with injuries.

Fortunately, the Lakers got some good news on Saturday against the matchup against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

Jaxson Hayes Cleared to Play vs. Nuggets

Denver Nuggets Jamal Murray Los Angeles Lakers Jaxson Hayes — Mar 5, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) passes the ball under pressure from Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) in the third quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Lakers announced that Hayes will be available to play Saturday against the Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena.

Jaxson Hayes (back soreness) has been upgraded to AVAILABLE for tonight’s game versus Denver.
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) March 14, 2026

Hayes has missed the last two games due to back soreness. He'll give the Lakers more size and depth at center to deal with Jokic in the paint.

During the last matchup with the Nuggets in Denver, Hayes played well while shouldering the load for Deandre Ayton, who played only five minutes before being ruled out with a knee issue. Hayes finished with a season-high 19 points to go along with five rebounds and two assists. He also went an impressive 8-for-10 from the floor.

Although Hayes has gone from the team's starting center last year to a backup role behind Deandre Ayton during the 2025-26 campaign, the 25-year-old has played well in his new role with the Lakers, building some chemistry with superstar Luka Doncic as a consistent lob threat.

Along with Hayes being cleared, the Lakers will have Smart and James in the fold. Smart was dealing with a right hip contusion, while James was also battling the same ailment along with left foot arthritis.

James played well in his return to the floor against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, finishing with 18 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block in 33 minutes. He didn't seem to show any signs of rust, shooting 7-for-13 from the field while being active on both ends of the floor.

Unfortunately, Kleber won't be back on the hardwood for the Lakers on Saturday, as he continues to deal with a lumbar back strain. The veteran forward hasn't played since the win over the New York Knicks on March 8, but head coach JJ Redick doesn't seem too concerned, as he expects Kleber back soon and considers him day to day moving forward.

As long as the Lakers keep trending in the right direction in the injury department while also playing well on a consistently basis, Los Angeles has a solid chance of securing a high seed in the Western Conference ahead of the NBA playoffs, which get underway on April 18.

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