Killian Hayes, the player Detroit Pistons fans love to hate. But Sasser and Hayes? Sounds like many a great duo: Loggins and Messina, Hall and Oates, Key and Peele, or, most fitting, Kid ‘N’ Play.
We’ll have to wait and see if Men at Work is more appropriate. I can’t yet, can’t yet hear the thunder.
While Hayes has been an excellent passer, ball handler, and a willing defender, he has struggled to shoot the ball well. His inability to shoot off the dribble allowed defenders to lag off, erasing driving lanes and limiting his playmaking. Unfortunately, since Hayes joined the team, the rest of the roster struggled from the field, which limited Hayes’ assists.
The Pistons added some shooting late in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft when they traded up six picks to draft Marcus Sasser, a 6-foot-2 guard who shot the ball well in college and played for a team that prided itself on defense. A 3-and-D player, Sasser projects as more of a shooting guard, but he would be a small two-guard in the NBA.
He might be an excellent combo guard, perhaps best suited coming off the bench or playing on a team that plays loose and fluid on offense, which requires the right personnel.
On a team with Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey slotted into the starting front court, the Detroit Pistons should play Marcus Sasser alongside Killian Hayes. They complement one another in several ways.
Detroit Pistons: Both Killian Hayes and Marcus Sasser can be ballhandlers
Sasser only averaged 2.4 assists per game through a four-year college career, but he enjoyed a 1.9 assist to turnover ratio. He’s not the passer Hayes is by any means, but he takes care of the basketball and makes smart plays. A year older than Killian, Sasser might help Hayes see the floor in greater detail.
Sasser’s shooting and tenacity can help Hayes relax
An excellent shooter, Sasser can help open the floor for Hayes. Combine Sasser with Burks, Livers, or Bogdanovic at the three, Bogdanovic or Stewart at the four, and a lob threat rolling off a high screen or cutting behind a defender’s back, and suddenly the floor opens for Hayes. With a little more confidence and less pressure on the ball, Hayes’ shot might begin to fall as it has done in streaks in the past.
On defense, Sasser and Hayes should be difficult to score on. Although only 6-foot-2 and compared to Kyle Lowry on defense, I’m not sure Sasser has the strength of a Kyle Lowry. Lowry generally forces ballhandlers to turn, in tight or important games, challenging his matchup at baseline and turning him twice before halfcourt, taking precious time off the shot clock. I’d love to see Sasser play with that level of tenacity.
Sasser is two inches taller than Lowry, and his 6-foot-7 wingspan should help him keep opponents in front of him and keep them from shooting over him. Hayes at 6-foot-5 could take the larger guard on defense, and Sasser’s wingspan could allow switches one through three.
They complement one another on offense, and these two might be the best defensive backup backcourt in the NBA. Instead of being his replacement, Sasser can be a guy who helps unlock what Hayes does well on both ends.