This Is Killian Hayes's Last Chance To Prove Everyone Wrong

Cade Cunningham's Injury Has Opened Up A Huge Opportunity For Killian Hayes

When Killian Hayes was drafted seventh overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, there was a lot of optimism among Pistons fans with many believing that he would be the point guard of the future. The smooth left-handed point guard from France was touted by some as the best player in the draft, creating high expectations from the start.

Unfortunately for Hayes, just seven games into his career he suffered a hip injury against the Milwaukee Bucks and missed a good chunk of the season. When he came back, Hayes showed some flashes, such as a 21-point, 7 rebound, 8 assist showing against the Bulls that got fans excited about what his future may look like.

Then the Pistons got the first pick in the 2021 draft and selected Cade Cunningham. All of the sudden, Killian went from one of the faces of the franchise to someone in the background. The poor shooting did not help either as late in the year Killian was moved to the bench after starting the majority of the games he played in.

When the Pistons selected Jaden Ivey at pick five in this past year's draft, the writing on the wall was there for Hayes. He was no longer the player that the Pistons and many fans envisioned he would be, and the Pistons confirmed that by selecting Ivey, creating a new backcourt of the future.

But now with the news of the Cade Cunningham injury, which may sideline him for the entire year, Hayes gets an opportunity, a final opportunity. Killian has moved from the bench and into the starting lineup and is now one of the Pistons' main playmakers.

Why is this his last shot? Killian is the lone Troy Weaver pick that has yet to prove himself worthy of the selection. With contract extensions looming, you have to believe the Pistons are going to take a long look at Hayes’s tape and perhaps decide whether or not to even keep him on the team. We are at a point in his career where he needs to prove that he is an NBA player and that there is a role for him in this league. When you have to prove that you belong in the league, every little thing matters. Backup point guards are quite replaceable, and the Pistons could just move on from their first-round pick to sign a cheaper guard. The Pistons are no stranger to moving on from their first-round pick early in their career, just look at Sekou Doumbouya, who was drafted in 2019 but is now out of the league.

However, Hayes now has the unique opportunity to flip the script on his career. He will likely start for the rest of the games this season and will be the primary ball-handler. And so far, Hayes has done a fine job. One swing factor for Killian has always been his shot. Defenses were giving him space to shoot because they did not believe in his jumper, but recently Hayes has been proving doubters wrong. He tweaked his form over the summer and the fruits of his labor are finally showing as in November he is shooting 38.5% from 3. Additionally, confidence and aggressiveness are major keys for Hayes. In his past seven games, he is averaging 11.4 points a game, which may not seem like a lot, but it is enough to make you respectable as a scorer. It is the aggressiveness and the shot, which go hand-in-hand, that will determine whether Hayes can make it in the league.

Some things may not change, such as Killian’s reliance on his left hand, but he does not need to be a star at this stage in the Pistons’ rebuild. He just needs to be a serviceable player. He has to be a serviceable player to remain in the league. However, if there is any moment for him to shine, it is now.