Breaking: Former Lottery Pick Bust Killian Hayes Signs With Title Contender

Killian Hayes, guard, formerly of the Brooklyn Nets, has signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers

Once a key piece of the Detroit Pistons future, former No. 7 overall pick Killian Hayes has signed on for the 2025-26 season with Eastern Conference contender, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

BREAKING: Killian Hayes is signing with the Cavs, per @MikeAScotto pic.twitter.com/iZuGQ0ajeL
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 23, 2025

Hayes was waived by the Pistons at the 2024 trade deadline, and signed as a free agent with the Brooklyn Nets. But he didn't make the team, and went to the G League. He eventually landed back with Brooklyn on a 10-day contract, but that expired, and was a free agent once again. He finished with an average of 9.0 points per game, 5.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds in six games with the Nets, while shooting 38% from 3-point range.

He held out hope all summer long this year, waiting for an NBA opportunity, which has now come with the Cavaliers.

Hayes has averaged 8.1 points and 5.2 assists per game over his five years in the league, the first four of which were with the Pistons. After being selected with the 7th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the point guard was expected to be a core piece of the rebuilding team.

But in the years after that, Detroit drafted Cade Cunningham and then Jaden Ivey, who have now the stars of the Pistons' backcourt. Hayes was never able to fulfill the promise of his draft pedigree. He'll now get a chance to catch on as a role player for the Cavs.

With Darius Garland sidelined to begin the season with a toe injury, the oft-injured Lonzo Ball—another newcomer to the Cavs backcourt—will need some support behind him at the point.