NBA Mock Draft 7.0: Is LaMelo Ball destined to join the New York Knicks?

Killian Hayes could easily be the first pick in the draft depending on how the lottery shakes out but if the Knicks take LaMelo Ball, Hayes could slide because several of the other teams near the top already have a star point guard or one they’re at least committed to trying to grow into a star. That is definitely not the case with the Pistons, all due respect to Bruce Brown and Derrick Rose, and they’d likely be beside themselves with joy to find Hayes still waiting at No. 7.

Hayes has size (6-foot-5), defensive chops and looks like he could be a high-level creator and facilitator. There are questions about his ceiling as a shooter and scorer but his high basketball IQ will allow him to pick up easy buckets and he has enough craft to compensate in a lot of areas. The Pistons are also headed for a rebuild, again, all due respect to Rose and Blake Griffin, and Hayes is a piece that could raise the team’s long-term floor and ceiling and work in several different types of systems, letting them look elsewhere for that high-level scoring star.

Learn more about Killian Hayes with our full scouting report.