4:31pm: The Pistons have officially waived Hayes, the team confirmed today (Twitter link).
12:57pm: Former lottery pick Killian Hayes will be released by the Pistons, according to a report from James L. Edwards III and Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The seventh overall pick in the 2020 draft, Hayes entered the NBA with a reputation for being a solid defender and passer whose offensive game was a work in progress. That’s essentially still the case, as his shooting percentages have increased only marginally over the course of his four NBA seasons.
Hayes averaged 6.9 points, 4.9 assists, and 2.8 rebounds in 24.0 minutes per game across 42 appearances (31 starts) this season, with a shooting line of .413/.297/.660. Those field goal and three-point percentages actually represent career bests.
The Pistons reportedly explored the trade market for Hayes prior to Thursday’s deadline – talking to the Grizzlies, among other teams – but apparently didn’t find a deal to their liking. The team agreed to a series of trades that will bring in seven players while sending out three, so the 22-year-old guard will be a victim of the roster crunch, joining Joe Harris among those waived.
Cutting Hayes and Harris will put the Pistons in position to complete at least one and potentially two of their three reported trade agreements. They’ll need to waive two more players to finalize all three deals, but those last two cuts could come from their group of newly acquired players.
Hayes will be eligible to sign with any NBA team if and when he clears waivers, since his salary is well shy of this season’s non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
Dude should head back to France and try to improve as a player. He’s just not good.
Says a lot about Hayes when Patrick Williams isn’t the worst pick of that draft class.
Dude doesn’t belong in the NBA anymore. He cannot dribble/pass/shoot.
Man Patrick Williams must’ve slept with your girlfriend. Saying he’s the worst pick in 2020 draft shows you don’t watch/know anything about the NBA lol.
He didn’t say worst player, he said worst pick.
And you must be sleeping with James Wiseman
Look we’re all entitled to our opinions, but if you just say I don’t know ball based on a statement without backing it up. Do us a favor and let the grown up’s talk in here champ.
Bucks should sign him
Throw a parade in Detroit already whether you win a championship or not. This man was a bonified scrub!
It’ll be extremely interesting to see if Killian makes the French Olympic team this summer & if so how well he plays. There should be a good deal of comp for a guard spot on that team, Tommy Huertel, Theo Maledon & Albicy all made the EuroBasket roster ahead of Killian last yr but I think he had opted out anyway
What’s dumb is thinking they wouldn’t have traded him for literally anything of remote value if such a deal could be had.
I know EVERY player since the 1950s. Could of kept him. Dumb owner, management and Coach. I bet Monty misses Hayes and Livers. If I see Wiseman waived I will go insane in the membrane and I will be over Detroit Pistons completely and wishing bad karma for 10 more years. I better not see it
Most baffling headline of the deadline and the entire trade season. Dude was the Seventh overall pick, just three years ago.
It was funny seeing some fellow Spurs fans pine for this guy. I love the change of scenery/buy low types as much as the next guys, but there are limits as to whom that should apply to. Hayes just isn’t very good and has no clear path to improvement. He needs to go overseas and come back if and when he develops a real three-point shot.
He is still young enough to come around. He needs to focus on best skills or really become a defender.
Someone should sign him, probably will. He’s got the tools. Needs coaching one on one tutoring. Hayes should have been in G-league for first two yrs. He is absolutely an NBA player. Needs someone to get in his head and teach. Spurs should get him. He’s at worst a backup PG.
Not being developed properly by the worst franchise top to bottom in recent nba history’s memory isn’t a death sentence for this talented kids career. I like his skills. His new team can look at him as a seasoned lottery pick in his first year.
Weaver is the worst GM in sports. “Couldn’t find a deal to their liking”?!?! Getting something is better than nothing by cutting him Troy!!!! No deal he made today made ANY sense
I completely agree. I stood by this owner since day one and he seemed to be doing well other then not trading Bojan last season. Then he started making bad decisions this season and now I he might one of the worst owners ever IMO. He is completely clueless about basketball. He should be fired. I stood by him when everyone was saying Fire him. I completely agree now.
You do realize getting “something” isn’t always a good thing, right? Like getting back overpaid long-term contracts? Or it might’ve been a top-55 protected 2nd, in which case waiving him and letting Hayes choose his next potential destination might be better value via goodwill than essentially getting him for nothing. And why anyone would take the PR comments of a GM seriously is beyond me.
Not that Weaver doesn’t suck for other reasons.
DET should release Wiseman too. A year 4 RSC player that is not good enough to get a Q/O, is going to be an UFA in any event. So why trade for him, or keep him around. Let the guy become an immediate UFA. Hayes, even if its a 2way contract, with someone now and get on the court.
A point guard that can’t shoot at all doesn’t work in the NBA.
If not a great shooter need to be a freak athlete and have a dog in you. Westbrook never a great shooter but provided so many other skills and is a dog.
I’d like him in Portland. Chauncey Billups has the Detroit connection.
He’s looking for defense. Simons sat the bench, developed his shot, and played when he could his first few years. Gary Trent Jr too. The team also has some French connections already. Could be a healthy place for development.
Spurs??