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Killian Hayes, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, has reportedly found his next team.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Thursday that the guard agreed to a one-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets. Charania noted the 22-year-old will “have a chance to compete for a roster spot.”
Hayes’ career with the Detroit Pistons got off to a less-than-ideal start, as he suffered a labral tear in his right hip and played just 26 games as a rookie.
That put him behind the timeline the Pistons surely envisioned when they selected him with such a high draft pick even when he played 66 games in his second season and 76 in his third. That third season was the best of his career, as he averaged 10.3 points, 6.2 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.
He seemed poised to build on it in 2023-24 but played just 42 games for a Pistons team that finished with the worst record in the league at 14-68.
Efficiency has always been a concern with Hayes, who has connected on just 38.2 percent of his field-goal attempts and 27.7 percent of his three-point attempts throughout his career. His inability to effectively stretch the floor in today’s NBA limits his ceiling and has helped prevent him from living up to the expectations that were initially in place.
There won’t be any of those expectations on the Nets, though, which could help him put up better numbers with less pressure following a change of scenery.
He will first have to make the team, but age and potential are working in his favor considering Brooklyn is in rebuilding mode after trading Mikal Bridges this offseason.
Giving a young player who could turn the corner like Hayes playing time may be exactly what the Nets are looking to do in 2024-25.
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