Nets To Sign Former Lottery Pick Killian Hayes

The Brooklyn Nets intend to sign point guard Killian Hayes, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, as relayed by Shams Charania of The Athletic.

While terms of the deal weren’t revealed, it is seemingly a non-guaranteed contract, with Charania writing that Hayes “will have a chance to compete for a roster spot.” At best, you would think, his deal comes with only a partial guarantee.

Hayes, 22, is 6-foot-5 and spent each of his first three-and-half seasons with the Detroit Pistons. He was waived by Detroit in February after 42 appearances in 2023-24.

In those games, Hayes averaged 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists, shooting 41.3% from the field and 29.7% on 3-pointers. It is that percentage from beyond the arc that likely led to the Pistons’ decision to give up him (and last season’s was a career-high).

Meanwhile, the Nets are in full rebuild mode and can afford to take a small risk on a former lottery pick.

Once the signing is official, Hayes will become the second such player to land with the Nets in the past two weeks. They also acquired the No. 10 overall pick in 2020, forward Ziaire Williams, in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. So he was selected just three spots after Hayes in the same draft.

Granted, that trade hardly moves the needle for anyone involved, but the Nets’ new plan is seemingly to save some money as they build through the draft. And in the process, perhaps they can find a diamond in the rough. Maybe Hayes and/or Williams will fit such a description.