The Sacramento Kings dropped a close loss last night to their biggest rivals, the Golden State Warriors. At the very least, the Kings played a good game and gave the Warriors a run for their money. That was due in no small part to Killian Hayes, who had a great performance on defense and offense.
Hayes was selected seventh in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft by the Pistons. He played there for the better part of four seasons until he was waived on February 8, 2024. In the two years since then, he has struggled to find a permanent spot in the league.
In late February 2026, the Kings signed him to the first of two back-to-back ten-day contracts. The coaching staff and front office were likely trying to get a sense of his game and if he would fit into their rebuild strategy. Apparently, Sacramento was happy with what Hayes had to show them.
On March 15th, the Kings signed Hayes to a two-year contract that would give the 24-year-old point guard a new NBA home. Given his age, defensive capability, and three-point shooting potential, the move made sense. His performance against the Warriors has only cemented that.
Hayes will be a clutch bench player
With 18 points on the night, Hayes was the highest scorer on the Kings. He did it on six of 13 shooting from the field, three of seven from deep, and three of four from the charity stripe. On top of that, he had four rebounds and four assists, which is solid off the bench.
On the defensive end of the game, Hayes was equally productive. He finished the game with four steals, which played a big part in the Kings keeping the game close. Over the last six games, he has collected a total of 11 steals. That kind of play will be key as the rebuild progresses.
Given the current direction of the roster, it's unlikely that Hayes will end up as a permanent starting point guard. Russell Westbrook and Devin Carter would be the top two on the roster at the moment. Keeping that in mind, the Kings need to have other young point guards in the pipeline.
Hayes will be a solid backup to their current point guards and someone who can give Sacramento consistent, meaningful minutes off the bench. As the rebuild continues in the coming years, Hayes' role on the Kings will likely grow with it, as will his capabilities.