NBA rumors: Killian Hayes trade request, Tobias Harris buzz, Mavs deadline wishlist
- Killian Hayes has requested a trade and the world keeps turning
- With Joel Embiid out there is buzz around Tobias Harris as a rising trade target
- Exactly what the Dallas Mavericks are looking for at the trade deadline
By Lior Lampert
The countdown to the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline continues.
NBA Rumors: Killian Hayes trade request
Sitting at 6-43 with the worst record in the NBA, the Detroit Pistons and head coach Monty Williams are throwing everything at the wall in hopes that something will stick. In their latest lineup adjustments, 22-year-old point guard Killian Hayes has found himself out of the rotation.
In his place, rookie point guard Marcus Sasser and veteran Monte Morris have emerged as Detroit’s preferred backups behind the likes of Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.
The former No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft has now been a healthy scratch in three straight contests for the Pistons. Per the Detroit Free Press, Hayes’ camp “would prefer the fourth-year point guard land with a new team.”
Unfortunately, the reality is that even though both sides seem prepared for a fresh start, there may not be a market for Hayes.
Since entering the league, Hayes' offensive skill set has yet to develop, shooting a woeful 38.1 percent from the field and 27.6 clip from beyond the arc for his career. His 47.1 true shooting percentage this season ranks in the bottom 10 of all qualified players in the NBA.
Hayes was the second point guard taken in the 2020 draft and the first player Pistons general manager Troy Weaver drafted during his tenure in Detroit. LaMelo Ball, who was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the third overall pick and went on to be an All-Star, was the first point guard. The Indiana Pacers selected All-Star starter Tyrese Haliburton with the No. 12 pick as the next floor general off the board.
Set to be a restricted free agent this offseason, the Pistons can match any offer Hayes receives this offseason if they wish to retain him. But given his falling out of the rotation and his camp’s expressed desire for a change of scenery, the writing could already be on the wall for Hayes.