The Sacramento Kings recently signed Killian Hayes to a two-year contract. He immediately turned in a great performance against the Utah Jazz, helping the Kings pick up yet another late-season victory. Hayes is the exact kind of player Sacramento is going to need in this rebuild process.
A couple of weeks ago, the Kings decided to sign Hayes up to a 10-day contract. Being that a significant portion of the team is out for the rest of the season, bringing in another player wasn't a bad idea. It's also a great opportunity to assess a potential new addition to the roster.
Hayes played well enough that the front office decided to sign him up to another 10-day contract. For someone like Killian, who was looking for a permanent roster spot, a 10-day contract wasn't exactly what he was looking for. Still, it was a step in the right direction for him.
His work paid off as the Kings recently signed a two-year deal with the young point guard. It's an interesting spot for Killian as he's only 24-years-old on a roster that's in a rebuilding process focused on youth and future development. And he wasted no time in getting to work for his new team.
Killian Hayes plays big for the Kings
In last night's game against the Jazz, Hayes got his second start in the last three games. He was filling in for Russell Westbrook at the starting point guard position. While he might not have delivered a Westbrook-style triple-double, Killian still had a great game that validated the Kings' faith in him.
In 38+ minutes, Hayes dropped 16 points, five rebounds, eight assists, and two blocks. He shot five for nine from the field, but also went four to six from the three-point arc. On top of that, Hayes played solid defense, which is a big part of what the Kings need moving forward.
If Hayes can build on this performance, he will become a great 3&D player off the bench. He also has the potential to be the backup point guard the Kings have been looking for. Sacramento needs to start planning now for when Westbrook retires, and Hayes could be part of that.
For now, Killian Hayes just needs to keep building on the groundwork he's already laid. That, of course, assumes the Kings don't mess up his development, something they've been guilty of with young players in the past. Hopefully, Sacramento is past that.