Killian Hayes Eyes NBA Return — But Don’t Expect the Brooklyn Nets to Bite

Killian Hayes is looking for another opportunity in the NBA.

Last season, Hayes got a shot with the Brooklyn Nets in late February after spending much of the 2024-25 campaign with the franchise's G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets. He followed a similar path to that of Drew Timme, although the former Gonzaga star caught on in Brooklyn, whereas Hayes is again looking for a new home.

Despite there being some familiarity between Hayes and the Nets, don't expect a reunion to be in order. Brooklyn already addressed its glaring need at point guard during June's draft, selecting Egor Demin, Nolan Traoe and Ben Saraf. Those three will command much of head coach Jordi Fernandez's attention in individual player development sessions. The Nets don't need another former lottery pick added into the mix, potentially stunting the growth of the three newcomers.

Plus, Hayes did already get a shot with the team. In six games, Hayes averaged 9.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 27.1 minutes per game but was quite inconsistent, hence why he didn't receive a second 10-day contract following the conclusion of his first.

Perhaps if Brooklyn's draft had gone differently, Hayes would've been worth a second look. But now, as the Nets' roster total stands at 20, just one away from the max the team can carry into training camp, there just isn't room for another flier on Hayes.

Brooklyn is going to have enough difficulty as is trying to trim this roster down ahead of the start of the regular season. The front office will be forced to make some tough decisions on guys that are already on guaranteed deals, and a late-summer addition of Hayes could complicate that reality even further.

Now, in the event of an injury, it's good to know Hayes is available and hungry to get back in the league. While unlikely, he could be called on if one of the Nets' young guards goes down early in the season.

Giving Hayes a shot last season was a smart move. He was still just 23 years old and had been chosen in the top 10 of a draft that took place just four years ago at the time. Unfortunately, things didn't work out, and the franchise has since moved on, opting to fill its backcourt with young, fresh faces.

Best of luck to Hayes in his pursuit of a return, but it won't be happening in Brooklyn.