Killian Hayes is back in the NBA and showing that he belongs
Well, well, well, look who’s back. Killian Hayes will once again grace the Little Caesars Arena hardwood, but for the first time, he will be wearing the jersey of the opposing team. The French point guard who became the first draft pick of the Troy Weaver era and, perhaps, the biggest talisman of his shortcomings, is now a member of the Brooklyn Nets , who are visiting the Detroit Pistons .
Game Vitals
When: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
Odds:
Analysis
Hayes had not played in the NBA since being released by the Pistons last February until signing a deal with the Nets five games ago. This comes after a season refining his game as a member of the Nets G League affiliate. Honestly, in those five games, Hayes is looking like an NBA player.
I always said he seemed a jump shot away from being a plus NBA point guard, but the shot was so far away, and the ability to hit shots (and/or finish) is such a critical skill for a point guard that until he was able to discover that jumper, he probably wouldn’t be an NBA player. To his credit, Hayes seems to have worked his ass off to build that reliable jump shot, and it’s allowing him to stay on the floor and all his other skills to shine through.
Granted, it is a small sample size, but Hayes is connecting on 42% of his threes and 50% of his twos with roughly a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio in five games (four starts) as a member of the Nets. His true shooting percentage has eclipsed 60% and a negative win shares player in his previous four seasons is clocking in at .125 so far this season. To put that in context, a player in the .50 range is a decent reserve, and .100 is a starter-level player. Now, is he actually a 42% three-point shooter? Almost certainly not. But in 28 G League games this season, he averaged 35% from deep on nearly five attempts per game. That is perfectly fine, considering all his other attributes as a point guard with size who doesn’t seem to give away anything on defense and can pass the hell out of the ball.
The Nets have lost four of his five games, but Brooklyn is not really in the business of racking up wins the rest of the season. It’s why they traded Dennis Schroder, who is now a Piston, and Dorian Finney Smith, who is now a Laker.
This could be a good get-right game for the Pistons, who are looking to rebound after a lopsided loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday. It is certainly not a gimmie, but if Detroit can play with the same effort and energy they displayed against Denver, and if Cade Cunningham can have even an average performance, they should come away with a victory.
Projected Starters
Detroit Pistons (33-27)
Cade Cunningham, Tim Hardaway Jr., Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren
Brooklyn Nets (21-38)
Killian Hayes, Keon Johnson, Ziaire Williams, Cameron Johnson, Nic Claxton