Former Pistons Starter Will Miss Entire Preseason With Nets

Former Pistons player Killian Hayes will not get to play in the preseason for the Nets.

Jan 15, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Killian Hayes (7) and Washington Wizards guard Delon Wright (55) chassis loose ball during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets have been willing to give former Detroit Pistons guard Killian Hayes, a comeback attempt.

Unfortunately, a hip injury hasn’t done the former first-rounder any favors.

Ahead of Wednesday night’s matchup between the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn head coach Jordi Fernandez revealed Hayes was not with the team. While he raved about Hayes’ practice sessions in Brooklyn, he made it clear they weren’t in a rush to get Hayes back out on the floor.

“I would love to [play him], but we’ll assess him when we get back and see what we can do right there,” tsaid Fernandez. “We’re not going to rush him because his health is our priority. … No need to risk. He’s done a good job.”

Friday night’s matchup between the Nets and the Toronto Raptors serves as the final opportunity for Hayes to get on the floor this preseason. According to Brian Lewis of the NY Post, that won’t happen. Hayes is expected to be ruled out once again, taking away any chance of playing in the preseason.

For the past four seasons, Hayes played a prominent role on the rebuilding Pistons. In 2020, Detroit invested big in Hayes by spending their seventh-overall draft selection on him.

In 210 games, Hayes collected nearly 150 starts. During that stretch, Hayes struggled to live up to the expectations of being a top-ten pick in the NBA Draft.

Last year, Hayes appeared in 42 games for the Pistons. Playing for Monty Williams, Hayes averaged seven points and five assists while shooting 41 percent from the field and 30 percent from three. At the trade deadline, the Pistons struggled to move on from Hayes. After failing to find a trade partner, they waived the veteran guard.

Hayes spent the remainder of the 2023-2024 season as a free agent. This year, he’s working on a comeback with the Nets. After missing the preseason, it’s unclear if he’ll get a chance to take up a roster spot or not.