LAS VEGAS — It wasn’t surprising to see a Pelicans player throw down the most spectacular dunk in the first few days of Summer League, but it was supposed to be Zion Williamson bringing down the house with his awe-inspiring athleticism.



Instead, it was rookie Jaxson Hayes, the No. 8 pick in the NBA Draft, who crushed the Chicago Bulls’ Mychal Mulder with a dunk that brought the entire Thomas & Mack Center crowd to its feet in New Orleans’ one-sided 109-72 victory on Monday night.



Hayes and fellow rookie Nickeil Alexander-Walker ran a side pick-and-roll midway through the second quarter and Chicago left Hayes alone rolling to the basket. Alexander-Walker whipped a beautiful left-hand bounce pass to Hayes that led him directly into the highlight of the day.



Hayes took two steps and took flight, putting a knee into Mulder’s chest to give himself an added boost and threw down a ferocious dunk. It summarized just how dominant the...