Former lottery pick Killian Hayes earns a standard deal, showcasing playmaking prowess and efficient ball-handling to secure his spot with the Kings.
Former top-ten overall draft pick Killian Hayes agreed to a two-year deal with the Sacramento Kings Sunday afternoon, earning a standard NBA deal after playing out two ten-day contracts.
Hayes was originally selected as the No. 7 overall selection in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons, where he played for four seasons. However, the Pistons selected All-Star point guard Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 pick just one season later, handing him the keys to the franchise, rather than Hayes.
His best season in Detroit came in 2022, averaging over 10 points per game in 76 appearances. Playing next to Cunningham also helped Hayes to excel as a playmaker, averaging a career-high 6.2 assists per game.
However, the following season, Hayes started just 31 games, the lowest since his rookie season, as his role continued to diminish.
Hayes played six games with the Brooklyn Nets in the 2024-2025 season, but failed to secure a contract in free agency.
He signed his first ten-day with Sacramento on Feb. 23 before his second on March 5.
Across his 10 appearances this season with the Kings, Hayes is averaging 3.8 points, 3.3 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 15.3 minutes, while shooting 26.9 percent from the field and 20.8 percent from 3-point range.
These numbers don't jump off the page, but Hayes has shown ability to facilitate and play clean basketball.
During his time in Sacramento, Hayes has racked up 41 assists while turning it over just 10 times. His 4.1 assist to turnover ratio ranks top-20 in the NBA, while accumulating a 28.2 assist percentage, according to Fox Sports.
In Hayes last time out, he played a huge role in Sacramento's 116-111 win over the Utah Jazz, scoring a season-high 16 points on efficient shooting splits. Hayes made four 3-pointers, his second-most in a game in his NBA career, while adding eight assists, five rebounds and two blocks.
This was Hayes' first start of the season, as the Kings were extremely shorthanded at the guard position, being without Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk and Devin Carter.
He and Kings forward DeMar DeRozan each played a game-high 38 minutes, leading Sacramento to a fourth victory in five games.
On Saturday, Hayes talked about what he has been focused on during his time in Sacramnto.
“Know who you are and what you bring as a player and just being a sponge…. listening to the vets on the team and just adjusting,” Hayes said.
He has done just that, showing immense growth and increased comfortability as his tenure has gone on. In the month of March, Hayes has jumped to a 38-percent clip from 3-point range while scoring just under six points per game.
This is an encouraging sign for Hayes, who has struggled with 3-point shooting since entering the league.
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