Sacramento Kings sign Nigel Hayes: A look at the newest King
By Tyler Watts
Sacramento Kings signed Nigel Hayes for the remainder of the season. Today, we take a look at the newest King.
The Sacramento Kings added some young talent for the final six games on March 30. Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Kings are signing Nigel Hayes for the rest of the season and next campaign on Friday. Hayes is a name many fans are likely are not familiar with, so let us take a look at him.
Rookie
Hayes went undrafted in 2017 despite getting some buzz. His current season so far has mostly played out in the G-League, but he has undoubtedly bounced around. He played 43 games between the Knicks and Raptors affiliates. Hayes has shot well from 3-point territory (43.4%) and played solid defense earning him two previous ten-day contracts in the NBA.
Hayes played two games each for the Lakers and Raptors. He has played a total of 17 minutes in the NBA. I will not dive into any numbers in that small of a sample size.
Badger
Hayes was a four-year player and three-year starter for the Wisconsin Badgers in college. The forward from Toledo, Ohio showed promise but was never a star player in the NCAA. He averaged 15.7 points per game as a junior. His weaknesses are foul shooting and his ability to guard smaller opposition.
A depth move
Signing Nigel Hayes is a move to increase the Kings depth. He will likely shuffle back and forth between Reno and Sacramento in his time with the organization. Hayes probably plays sparingly in the NBA and ultimately maxes out as a fringe rotation talent.
Final thoughts
The Sacramento Kings signed Nigel Hayes on Friday. Bringing in a 23-year-old to play the last six games is precisely the move the Kings should make Take a look at any young player that you think may be able to develop into something more than his current talent is displaying. Hayes may never even be a consistent rotation player in the NBA, but the Kings have nothing to lose in finding out.
Next: Alize Johnson could be a draft steal for Sacramento
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