New Orleans Pelicans Center Jaxson Hayes Charged After Domestic Incident

Jaxson Hayes is expected by many in New Orleans to be the big man that leads the franchise for years to come. The Atlanta Hawks drafted the Texas Longhorns center 8th overall in 2019. The Pelicans liked what they saw and made a draft day trade to acquire his rights.

Jaxson has been mostly a bench player for the New Orleans Pelicans during the first two years of his career. Hayes has averaged 7.4 points per game to go along with 4.2 rebounds. Hayes has been a solid contributor who the franchise would like to see continue to develop.

That development hit a snag recently when Jaxson Hayes was arrested and charged with 12 misdemeanors after a Los Angeles domestic violence incident. TMZ Sports reported that Hayes was arrested on Monday and charged with inflicting corporal injury, destruction of property, resisting arrest, and using force against an LAPD officer. Hayes’ girlfriend said all the way back in July of 2021 that he’d been acting erratically and that she didn’t feel safe.

LAPD responded to a call on the day of the incident. Hayes would not allow them to enter his home. In the ensuing struggle, Jaxson pushed an officer into a wall, injuring the LAPD member’s arm. Hayes was ultimately hit with a taser and taken into custody.

If he is convicted, Jaxson Hayes could spend time in jail. That would be a nightmare scenario for a promising young career. The NBA should show no tolerance for domestic violence of any kind. If the investigation shows such behavior, Jaxson’s career could be in jeopardy.

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