The Detroit Pistons are only two games into their Summer League and already the hot takes are flying, many of them about second-year point guard Killian Hayes.
Hayes only played 26 games last season after injuring his hip, but already some less observant fans are calling him a bust because his 3-point shot has not yet come along.
There is a long list of guys who entered the NBA without a long-range shot, and time after time we’ve watched most of them eventually develop one. A recent example is Lonzo Ball, who came into the league with a shot that had more kinks than a cheap garden hose and has since developed into one of the better high-volume 3-point shooters in the league.
Of course, some guys never figure it out, ask Ben Simmons, who is one of the best defenders in the NBA, was Rookie of the Year, has led the league in steals, made all Defense twice, All-NBA once, is a three-time All-Star, is only 25-years-old, yet all anyone wants to talk about is how he can’t shoot 3-pointers.
I honestly think the narrative around Simmons is ridiculous, as he helps a team in myriad ways without shooting threes and is undoubtedly valuable even in the modern game.
Killian Hayes has a lot of similarities to the present-day Ben Simmons, and if that is “all” he turns out to be, I’d be completely happy with it.
Detroit Pistons: Killian Hayes is a physical player who can fill a stat sheet
When you look at Ben Simmons’ stats, it’s insane to me that Philly is trying to get rid of this guy.
He averaged 14.3 points last season while adding 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists and swiping 1.6 steals, so Simmons brings a lot to the table even though he can’t shoot 3-point shots.
Simmons also has plus size for a point guard at 6-foot-10 and can bully smaller defenders in the post.
While Killian Hayes is far from being Simmons, he too is a guy with great size for the position who should be able to contribute rebounds, assists and steals even if he is not knocking down shots.
The biggest difference so far is that Simmons can at least finish in the lane, which is where Killian needs to improve. Simmons shot over 55 percent last season, and if Hayes could ever get to that level, he’ll be just fine, as he averaged over five assists as a rookie and has shown he can rebound and swipe steals as well.
Hayes and Simmons have very different offensive games, but both can stuff a stat sheet without making an outside shot. Hayes’ first Summer League game is an example of the types of box scores we might see out of him, as he only had six points, but added five assists and nine rebounds.
There is also more to the game than just offense.
Detroit Pistons: Could Killian Hayes make All-Defense one day?
We’re in the part of the offseason where “leaked” videos of Ben Simmons draining 3’s in an empty gym make their way around Twitter, with half the crowd believing this means he can shoot now and the other half making jokes about how he’ll never be able to.
What gets lost in this narrative is that Ben Simmons is one of the best, if not the best, defensive player in the NBA and he is 25-years-old.
While I don’t know if Killian Hayes will ever get to that level, he has a chance to be an elite defender who can make an impact without scoring.
He has the size, strength, footwork and hands to defend 1-3 on the perimeter and has shown he can stay in front of even the quickest guards, as he does here against Jalen Green.
This is some defense from Killian Hayes vs. Jalen Green. Good activity and pressure. Think we know what Green can do vs. space, how he handles pressure/activity/reads is interesting to me. Turbo button doesn't always work, have to set these plays up. pic.twitter.com/8sgDBIwMRJ
— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) August 11, 2021
Could Killian Hayes lead the league in steals some day? I wouldn’t rule it out. But even if he doesn’t, he has the chance to be a very good defender and anyone who can lock up the other team’s best guards has a lot of value even if he doesn’t shoot 3-point shots.
Speaking of 3-point shots…
Detroit Pistons: Will Killian Hayes ever develop a shot?
Killian Hayes shot just 27.8 percent from 3-point range last season on 2.8 attempts per game, which is pretty terrible but still looks great compared to Ben Simmons, who didn’t even shoot enough 3-point shots in his first two seasons to register a percentage.
Simmons and Hayes have similar issues with their shots, as they don’t always keep their feet squarely beneath them which seems to throw things off.
The biggest difference is that Hayes is at least not scared to shoot them while Simmons looks as if there is a force field around the hoop if he is not within the 3-point line.
Hayes has a lot of work to do on his shot form, as does Simmons, but Hayes does have a pretty good step-back three and if he can ever get his feet set underneath him, has decent form in the upper body.
I don’t know if Hayes will ever get there, but I do know that it is WAY too early to say he won’t. If he is 25 and we are passing around videos of him shooting in an empty gym as proof that he is developing a shot, then we can re-visit.
But in the meantime, Hayes can be a very impactful player with his passing and defense, just as Ben Simmons is for the 76ers.
The 3-point shot has evolved into one of the most important parts of the game, but it’s not the only thing, especially if you have a backcourt mate like Cade Cunningham to pick up the slack.