The Lakers were missing a center after trading Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic. They needed a reprieve to their defensive problems. But who knew that that reprieve would turn into a potential long-term solution- in the form of Oklahoma native Jaxson Hayes. Call it luck, call it foresight- JJ Redick bringing Doncic into the team has brought Hayes to life. And he’s really doubling down on a starting position in the squad for years to come.

He’s still just 24 and has been steadily improving over the years. What’s funny is that the same could be said about his compensation. His value ever since coming into the NBA in 2019 has been growing slowly but surely. If anything, it might’ve skyrocketed after he had the best season of his career. So let’s take a deep dive into his financial portfolio- including aspects like his net worth, salary, endorsements, and investments.

Hayes has only signed two major contracts in his career. So let’s talk about the more pertinent one- his current free agent contract at the Showtime. In 2023, he signed a 2-year, $4,628,946 contract in LA, 100% guaranteed. His first year saw him earn about $2,165,000, which was 1.59% of the team’s cap. Considering his free agent status beforehand, this isn’t the worst deal to sign. It could’ve been worse. He did end up playing a career-high 70 games under the Darvin Ham regime, so it was brilliant value for money.