As it stands right now, Killian Hayes is on his second 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings. Based on his performance against the Pacers last night, he's definitely got bigger ideas in mind. This is a talent who wants to be a permanent part of the roster, and a contributor to the rebuild.
The French-American player started his career in Europe before being drafted seventh by the Detroit Pistons in 2020. While some people have already forgotten this, Hayes was with the Pistons for almost four seasons before being waived a little over halfway through the 2023-2024 campaign.
Since then, Hayes has struggled to find a home in the NBA. Over the course of the last season and a half, he has been picked up and waived by the Brooklyn Nets a couple of times, playing with their G League affiliate for most of last season. The same thing happened with the Cavs and the Charge.
Most recently, the Kings signed him to a 10-day contract. The front office and coaching staff must have liked what they saw because he was subsequently signed to a second 10-day contract. Now, Hayes is playing like someone who wants to call the West Coast home.
Killian Hayes makes sense on the Sacramento Kings
On offense, Hayes is a high-IQ playmaker and a versatile scorer. At the other end of the court, his off-ball awareness and ability to anticipate plays added to his physical intensity make him an impressive defender. Plus, Hayes is only 24-years-old with plenty of room to grow.
The Kings' rebuild is focused on youth and defense, which are two attributes Hayes definitely has. Last night against the Pacers, Killian finished with eight points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals, all in a shade under 23 minutes on the court.
What those numbers don't show is just how big of a defensive menace he was, finishing with a plus/minus of 15. That being said, Hayes still needs to work on his shooting. He went two for seven from the field, which is not great. Three of his eight points came from free throws.
Sacramento keeps giving him 10-day contracts to take a good look at Hayes before deciding what to do with him. Being that he's already fitting in with the younger roster, particularly the Beam Boys, the Kings need to seriously consider keeping Killian around. He could be just what the rebuild ordered.