Who runs the Detroit Pistons? The real cost of Killian Hayes
The Detroit Pistons are a hot mess from the front office to the roster to the coaching staff.
Things were supposed to be better this season, especially after the hiring of Monty Williams, an experienced winner who has had success turning around terrible teams.
But there were problems with this marriage from the beginning, as GM Troy Weaver backed a different candidate for coach, as did Vice Chairman Arn Tellum, who were both vetoed by owner Tom Gores, who wanted Williams at all costs.
And it did cost. The Pistons made Williams the richest coach in NBA history (that has since been eclipsed), which may have not been the smartest move considering Monty didn't seem enthused about taking the job until the Brink's truck rolled up outside of his house.
But that didn't stop Williams from getting involved in personnel decisions right away. According to James Edwards III of The Athletic (Subscription), Williams lobbied to keep Killian Hayes this summer when the Pistons were considering trading him after selecting yet another guard in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft.
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It makes you wonder who will be calling the shots at the deadline and how much influence Monty Williams will have over future moves by Troy Weaver, who is fighting for his job after four years of futility and losing.
Coaches should have some input in their rosters, but too much can be a disaster, as we saw with Stan Van Gundy and we are seeing this season after the Pistons inexplicably kept Killian Hayes because of Williams.
Killian Hayes is still on a rookie deal, but he's been a costly player for the Detroit Pistons.
The Original Sin: Drafting Killian Hayes
The biggest mistake of Troy Weaver's career so far was drafting Killian Hayes over Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton is already a star and All-Star starter, while Hayes could be out of the NBA next season.
You can't kill GMs too much for draft picks, as it is a crapshoot, but this was an either/or situation as the Pistons were desperate for a point guard and had reportedly narrowed it down to these two players.
Hayes became perhaps the worst of what I call the Holy Trinity of Draft Misses for the Pistons, and you have to wonder what this team might look like if Weaver had made the right call.
But the cost of Killian Hayes didn't stop there.
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