Killian Hayes never found his footing in the NBA, but five years after he was drafted, he’s keeping an eye on the NBA comeback, even with other offers on the table.
On the seventh pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons chose Killian Hayes from the German league. Hayes has had a rather unforgettable NBA career, eventually being replaced by both Cade Cunningham and Jaden Evie in the backcourt, and is now a free agent.
The Pistons chose Hayes ahead of solid NBA players like Obi Toppin, Devin Vassel and Aaron Nesmith.
Hayes was last match for the NBA in March last season for the Brooklyn Nets, but he’s focused on the NBA comeback.
Hayes was touted as a high-level point guard with solid frames at each end of the ball, decent athleticism and good instincts. In Detroit, he was actually a solid defender, but Hayes’ scoring ability made him unable to play.
Before coming to the state, he spent two seasons playing professional ball in Europe and was expected to be quite refined due to his age, but he never panned out.
| league | team | GP | ppg | RPG | APG | SPG | FG% | 3pt% |
| NBA | Piston, net | 216 | 8.1 | 2.9 | 5.2 | 1.2 | 38.3% | 28.1% |
| G League | Long Island Net | 18 | 20.8 | 5.5 | 7.6 | 2.2 | 48.2% | 41.7% |
| Euroleague | Colette, Ulm | 52 | 7.4 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 44.5% | 27.4% |
Of course, playing to start his career for the Pistons didn’t help. In four seasons under Dwayne Casey and Monty Williams, Hayes and Detroit went 74-244, and he was often used as a true starting point guard when it was clear for a long time that it was best to act as a defensive expert.
Even the most stubborn Pistons fans will admit that despite his flaws, the lack of development is not his fault, and given the right circumstances, he can find his NBA foothold.
Hayes played for the Nets organization last season, mainly for the G League Long Island Net.
The NBA team has yet to show interest for now, but he has received several offers from some of the top European teams.
“Hayes has attracted interest from several European clubs, including Asvel. Eurohoop. “However, the French-American security guards declined and chose to focus on pursuing opportunities in the NBA rather than returning to Europe.”
In addition to Asvel, Spain’s Real Madrid and Türkiye’s Anadolu Efes have also made offers, but Hayes has revealed he has repeated NBA returns.
Teams like Nets and Utah Jazz have roster space to add him, which can provide some developmental opportunities. Teams that can use defensive backcourt help, like the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, could become suitors if injured early in the season.