Did the Detroit Pistons just draft Killian Hayes’ replacement?

The Detroit Pistons drafted experienced point guard Marcus Sasser in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft, which could have an effect on Killian Hayes.

Hayes hasn’t progressed as much offensively as the Pistons would have liked, but he’s still just 21-years-old, and has shown he can be a very good passer while defending at a high level. But Hayes was one of the NBA’s worst shooters the last two seasons, a fact that can’t be overlooked when thinking about the future.

So it is possible that Killian Hayes’ time in Detroit could be over soon, but the addition of Marcus Sasser doesn’t necessarily mean the end for Hayes.

Did the Detroit Pistons just draft Killian Hayes’ replacement?

Yes

Killian Hayes is in the final guaranteed year of his contract that will pay him $7.4 million next season. He is one of several Pistons up for a contract extension this summer and it seems unlikely that he’s going to get it.

If he just plays out this season, he’ll become a restricted free agent at the end of next season.

That would make Sasser a potential cheap replacement at backup point guard and Hayes possible trade bait this summer or at the deadline.

Sasser is a much better shooter than Hayes already, as he was a high-volume 3-point shooter who hit 44 and 38 percent from long range over the last two seasons, respectively. Sasser shot 8.6 per game and hit 44 percent of them as a junior, so he can fill it up from the outside.

He’s also a good on-the-ball defender with leadership qualities after leading a very good Houston team the last two seasons. He’s tough, he’s a leader, he can defend and he can shoot, which could make Killian Hayes superfluous.

Sasser is older than Hayes and has the experience to step in and play right away and he could very well beat out Hayes for minutes as the backup point guard.

No

Sasser can play both guard spots, so his addition doesn’t necessarily mean anything for Hayes, as the two can share the court and give the Detroit Pistons a tenacious defensive backcourt off the bench.

Sasser’s shooting off the ball helps cover Hayes’ lack of it and both guys can make plays, so there is no reason they can’t play together.

This also gives the Pistons more options when it comes to Alec Burks, for whom they have a team option for next season. Burks is one of the Pistons’ best trade assets, so they could potentially move him, opening up more minutes for the Sasser/Hayes backcourt.

But Detroit needs Burks’ shooting, so it seems unlikely that they view Sasser as an immediate replacement considering he’s never played a minute in the NBA.

The Detroit Pistons don’t have to be in a hurry to figure this out and can just let training camp competition separate the bench players, but Sasser’s presence should definitely light a fire under Killian Hayes, who is now under pressure to prove he has a future with the team.