Does Killian Hayes Deserve A Call Up from the G League?

With the NBA trade deadline having come and gone, with most teams set to go forward with their current rosters, the Brooklyn Nets are no different.

In a season where many people expected the Nets to be seen as a fire sale for contenders around the league, Sean Marks and the Brooklyn Front Office opted to keep their players together, with their only trade coming back in December, which saw the arrival of De’Anthony Melton.

It appears that the Nets have managed to make one of their final real moves of the season, with the recent departure of Ben Simmons, following a contract buyout between the two sides.

Going forward, if Brooklyn does want to introduce any new players into their system, they’ll be limited in who they can bring in, with their G League affiliate team, the Long Island Nets, being a promising source for new talent.

This isn't exactly out of the realm of possibility, with previous first-round draft pick Dariq Whitehead being a constant part of Long Island’s plan this season, having been sent there to help his development.

Yet there lies a second player in Long Island, who could be ripe for time in the NBA, Killian Hayes.

The Frenchman made his way to the Nets in the offseason after getting waived by the Detroit Pistons towards the end of the 2023-24 season. Hayes, who was selected with the seventh pick of the 2020 draft by the Pistons, failed to fully develop throughout his original contract, averaging eight points and five assists across 210 games in the NBA.

While things may not have been perfect for Hayes in the NBA, the same can’t be said for his time with Long Island this season, averaging 20 points per game on 48 percent from the field, while dishing out eight assists and securing five rebounds.

The Frenchman isn't only averaging among the top of Long Island's roster across multiple categories, he is ranking just as high throughout the G League, averaging the 14th highest points per game, along with the third highest assists, and the single highest steals per game, showing that he can do it on both ends of the court.

This could be seen on Saturday afternoon when Long Island fell short to the Delaware Blue Coats, with the loss coming despite a 25-point outing from Hayes, with his offensive production also being showcased in his 11 assists.

With Simmons gone from Jordon Fernandez’s rotation, and Cam Thomas set to be sidelined until after the All-Star break, it wouldn't be crazy to see Hayes suit up for Brooklyn in the coming weeks.