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Progress is rarely charted as an uninterrupted upward arrow for players who come to the NBA before reaching their 20th birthday. Killian Hayes’ third season wasn’t all seashells and balloons, but it absolutely contained enough high notes to keep the faith in the 21-year-old’s future.
Even in a backcourt with two certifiable foundational pieces in Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, there’s plenty of room for Hayes to spread his wings. Strong backcourts have been the backbone of the greatest eras in Pistons history. Vinnie Johnson and Lindsey Hunter carved out memorable NBA careers as backups to Hall of Famers and All-Stars.
That’s not consigning Hayes to a permanent reserve role – indeed, Cunningham’s size and flexibility makes a standard three-guard lineup a distinct Detroit possibility – but there would be worse outcomes for him than getting 25 minutes a game as the captain of a second unit and departing the NBA with a resume comparable to Johnson’s or Hunter’s.
Here's a look Hayes’ past, present and future:
PROFILE: 6-foot-5 guard, 21 years old, 3 NBA seasons
2022-23 STATS: 10.3 points and 6.2 assists on 37.7 percent shooting and 28.0 percent 3-point shooting in 28 minutes a game
STATUS: Hayes is entering the final year of his rookie contract after being drafted seventh overall in the 2020 NBA draft and is eligible for a contract extension this off-season.
DID YOU KNOW?: Hayes has yet to play for the French national team, but he hopes to be selected to the team and compete in this summer’s World Cup and again in the 2024 Olympics where Paris is set to be host city. The French team will include All-NBA center Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum, Evan Fournier and presumptive 2023 No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama and go into both international competitions among the gold medal favorites.
A LOOK BACK: Hayes was born in Lakeland, Fla., where his father, DeRon, grew up, but was raised in Cholet, France when DeRon Hayes was playing there and throughout Europe. Killian Hayes turned pro at 16 and joined Cholet’s U21 team, winning league MVP honors and being elevated to the senior team. After one season there as a backup, Hayes signed with Ratiopharm Ulm of the German League on the promise of playing point guard to prepare for his NBA future. Hayes averaged 12.8 points and 6.2 assists in 27 minutes a game over 10 games on the competitive EuroCup circuit to affirm his status as a lottery pick. He hit 39 percent from the 3-point line and 91 percent at the foul line in EuroCup play. Hayes’ rookie season in the NBA was disrupted by a hip injury that cost him three months and 41 games. He played 66 games with 40 starts in his second season, averaging 6.9 points and 4.2 assists in 28 minutes a game.
THE SEASON THAT WAS: Hayes had a strong summer and came into training camp expecting a big third-year jump, but got off to a slow start. In eight October games, Hayes shot 17 percent and averaged 2.5 points in 17 minutes a game. From early November through mid-January, a span of 32 games, Hayes emerged as the player the Pistons envisioned. He averaged 12.4 points and 6.5 assists against 2.1 turnovers while shooting 43.2 percent overall and 36.2 percent from the 3-point line. That level of productivity earned Hayes 29 minutes a night as he seized on the greater opportunity created by Cunningham’s absence created by his season-ending shin injury. His shooting cratered after that, though; in his final 33 games, Hayes connected on only 35.1 percent of his shots and 21.1 percent of his 3-point attempts. Given his defensive instincts, strength and length plus Hayes’ playmaking ability and vision, he can be a positive force while being a league-average or slightly below shooter, though the flashes give the Pistons the encouragement to expect he’ll be at least an average shooter eventually. Hayes led the Pistons in steals at 1.4 per game and was ninth in the NBA in total steals with 104. He finished strong, scoring 54 points with 12 rebounds, 13 assists and four steals in the season’s final two games while hitting 6 of 15 from the 3-point line.
A LOOK AHEAD: It’s hard to overstate the importance of year four for Hayes, the last of his rookie contract ahead of restricted free agency. Ivey’s emergence and especially the strong finish to Ivey’s season cemented his status as Cunningham’s likely backcourt partner, though there is surely room for three strong guards in any rotation and the Hayes of December and parts of November and January on either side of it would give the Pistons, at minimum, a high-level quarterback for the second unit. Improving the consistency of his 3-point shot is key to unlocking the rest of Hayes’ game. During his dazzling two-month run, Hayes used the threat of his new-found 3-point stroke to open up his mid-range opportunities and that, in turn, enabled him to be a more opportunistic finisher at the rim. Hayes came to the NBA as a left-hand dominant player and, though he’s become more comfortable with his right hand in his three seasons, it’s still an area where improvement would benefit his game.
MONEY QUOTE: “If Killian defends the way he defends, makes the right reads and then, secondarily, makes shots, that’s the last thing on the list. We have so many players who need his help and he’s one of our best pick-and-roll players, making decisions.” – Dwane Casey after Hayes led the Pistons to an overtime win over Dallas on Dec. 1