Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes can be an elite duo

Detroit Pistons: Killian Hayes and Cade Cunningham can be elite playmakers and defenders

The Pistons spent their first-round pick last year on another point guard, Killian Hayes. The seventh overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, Hayes struggled in his rookie season. Injuries hampered the 19-year-old’s ability to develop as he missed 40 straight games due to a hip injury.

Hayes finished the season having played in just 26 total games and shooting a well below league average 27.8 percent from three. His play improved to close out the season, and Hayes showed flashes of why Detroit selected him seventh overall.

Despite struggling to get his shots to drop last season, Hayes showed flashes of creativity as a shot creator. The 6-5 point guard was a positive for Detroit on the defensive end of the floor as he had active hands and played passing lanes well. Most importantly, Hayes was Detroit’s best playmaker on the offensive end. The 19-year-old showed a natural passing ability and dared to make difficult passes as well.

Like Hayes, Cunningham is a solid player on the defensive end of the floor. His 6-8 frame and seven-foot wingspan allow him to disrupt passing lanes and hold his own in one-on-one situations. Cunningham has the makings of a solid playmaker as well. The Oklahoma State product did not rack up many assists in college, only 3.5 assists per contest, but his tape shows a willing and creative passer, especially out of double teams and in the pick-and-roll.

Unlike Hayes, Cunningham is a threat to score from beyond the arc. The point guard shot 40 percent from three-point range in college.

Combined, Hayes and Cunningham would make a reliable duo on the defensive end of the court, and their playmaking would provide Detroit a more dynamic offense. The issue with this pairing comes primarily with Hayes’ struggles to efficiently shoot the basketball.

Last season, Hayes not only struggled to score from beyond the arc, but he struggled to score from all three levels. The 19-year-old shot 35.3 percent from the floor in his rookie season.

Ideally, Cunningham would be the Pistons’ lead ball-handler for the majority of Detroit’s possessions while allowing Hayes to take over responsibilities when Cunningham rests. Hayes’ struggles to efficiently shoot the basketball could seriously hinder Cunningham’s ability to initiate the offense as Detroit’s primary ball-handler.

With the ball in Cunningham’s hands to start the offensive possession, defenses can immediately sag off Hayes who has not earned their respect as a shooter. That gives opponents help in the paint if Cunningham were to drive to the hoop. It will also make double teams on Detroit’s top scoring options easier as the defense will feel more comfortable rotating late on a guy who they believe is likely to miss his three if they were to give it to him a decent look at the basket.

Unless Hayes can drastically improve his three-point shooting as he heads into his second NBA season, teams will not respect him as a scoring threat as an off-ball guard.