Nets Explain Motivation Behind Signing Pistons’ Draft Bust

The Brooklyn Nets are giving Killian Hayes a second shot after his Detroit Pistons stint.

Feb 9, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets General Manager Sean Marks addresses the media prior to the game against the Chicago Bulls at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets have become a team that has the ability to offer young prospects a chance to bounce back. As they’ve accepted their role as rebuilders in the Eastern Conference, Brooklyn will be on the search for young talent they can develop as they search for ways to get back on track.

Former Detroit Pistons guard Killian Hayes will benefit from the state of Brooklyn. While Hayes recently left a rebuilding situation out in Detroit, he struggled to carve out a role for himself, playing alongside the former No. 1 overall pick, Cade Cunningham.

The Nets are betting on their coaching staff to unlock Hayes.

The Motivation Behind the Acquisition

On Monday, Nets General Manager Sean Marks addressed the acquisition of Hayes this offseason. As Brooklyn added several players in the same position as the former Piston, the Nets are hoping to find a way Hayes can stick with the club.

"We brought guys in, and if you have a good development staff, which we do, they're able to keep developing these guys and give these guys a second chance," Marks told reporters, according to Nets Wire’s Sharif Phillips-Keaton.

"I'm a big proponent of that. This is not like a one-and-done. So Killian, just like the rest of these guys, are going to have every opportunity to come in and prove that they're a Net, and they can be part of this group."

Hayes landed on the Pistons as the seventh-overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Coming from a non-NCAA program, Hayes was more of a mystery compared to most prospects who come from major universities.

The Pistons took a large gamble on the French-American, and they accepted their losses four years into Hayes’s journey.

In 210 games, Hayes started nearly 150 matchups. He averaged eight points and five assists throughout his time with the Pistons. From the field, the young veteran shot 38 percent. He was one of the most inaccurate shooters at his position since entering the NBA.

After appearing in 42 games last year, Hayes hit the free agency market at the trade deadline. He remained unsigned for the remainder of the 2023-2024 NBA season.

Over the next week, Hayes will get a chance to prove to the Nets he belongs. It won’t be an easy process, but his four years of experience should allow him to have an advantage.

More Pistons on SI

Pistons Veteran Has Ultimate Praise for Cade Cunningham

Pistons Rookie Reacts to His First Day of NBA Training Camp

Cade Cunningham Opens up on Having Fully Healthy Offseason

Pistons Sharpshooter Offers Pre-Camp Injury Update