Lakers Center Suspended for Pushing Wizards Mascot

Lakers center Jaxson Hayes has been suspended for one game because of a physical altercation during the Lakers and Wizards game on Jan. 30.

That altercation was with G-Wiz, Washington’s mascot.

The NBA put out a press release Wednesday afternoon, saying that “Hayes has been suspended one game without pay for pushing a Washington Wizards mascot during pre-game introductions.” The announcement added that he will serve his suspension on Feb. 5 during Los Angeles’s game against the 76ers. 

G-Wiz was carrying a Wizards flag and running past the Lakers bench, when Hayes pushed the mascot, leading to a collision with a cheerleader who was running onto the court. Dan Woike of The Athletic reported that the mascot was not injured after the incident.

The Lakers defeated the Wizards 142–111, with Hayes scoring 10 points in 14 minutes off the bench. The center is averaging 6.4 points per game for LA and was announced as a participant for the upcoming slam dunk contest on Feb. 14. 

Hayes was previously under investigation during his tenure with the Pelicans for an alleged domestic violence incident. He was arrested on domestic violence charges in 2021 and sentenced to three years’ probation, one year of domestic violence classes, and 450 hours of community service. He did not face any disciplinary action from the NBA. 

The Lakers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.