The ping-pong balls dropped the Detroit Pistons' way as they took home the no. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. With it, they selected Oklahoma State star Cade Cunningham in the hopes that he could be the man to lead their franchise over the next decade. In this post, though, we're looking at the Pistons X Factor for the upcoming NBA season.
While the Pistons are likely still in a rebuild, a potential franchise-changer like Cunningham could turn their fortunes by as soon as next season. If he turns out to be the real deal by as soon as Year 1, he could lead them to a possible play-in tournament berth in the Eastern Conference, which should be their ceiling this upcoming season.
Pistons X Factor
Nonetheless, the 19-year old isn't the Pistons X Factor for the 2021-22 season. It isn't even Jerami Grant, the Pistons' leading scorer last year. Detroit's X Factor this upcoming campaign is going to sophomore guard Killian Hayes.
The Pistons had high hopes for Hayes when they took him with the no. 7 overall pick in 2020. However, despite being their highest selected pick from a year ago. the left-handed point guard wound up becoming the only player from Detroit's rookie crop in 2020-21 to not make an All-Rookie team. No. 19 pick Saddiq Bey and no. 16 pick Isaiah Stewart, both acquired by the Pistons on draft day, made the 1st and 2nd team, respectively.
As for Hayes, he was never really able to find his footing in the NBA. The 20-year old missed more than a two-thirds of the regular season due to injury. Though he already showed signs of struggling early on, he suffered a torn labrum in his right hip seven games into his NBA career. This forced him to sit out 41 straight games. Upon his return, Hayes never truly found his rhythm and finished with paltry averages of 6.8 points and 5.3 assists while shooting just 35.3 percent from the field in 26 games.
Nonetheless, despite the underwhelming debut campaign, the Pistons should still view Hayes as a key part of their future moving forward. In many ways, this upcoming campaign, granted, of course, a clean bill of health, should determine whether he indeed has what it takes to one of the centerpieces of their franchise alongside Cunningham.
Struggles aside, Hayes did show flashes of what he is capable of. There's a reason why the Pistons took him as the 7th overall pick and his strengths suggest he could eventually become a star in this league if he figures it out. And that's a big if.
While it is just Summer League and it's just three games, his Las Vegas stint may suggest he isn't hasn't progressed much compared to Year 1. His numbers indicated he still needs to improve on his major weaknesses as a rookie. In three games, Hayes averaged 6.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists, but did shoot just 31.8 percent from the field and committed 3.3 turnovers per game.
Still, what has stood out most from the French lefty so far in his career, including Summer League, is his ability to facilitate and create for others. While turnovers also became one of his major issues as a rookie, which is what most young point guards go through early in their careers, Hayes did showcase great playmaking chops. He also did so with some sauce and savviness on the way he delivered some of his dimes. Given that he didn't get to play much due to injuries, he should be able to clean up on his turnovers eventually as he continues learning the NBA game.
Hayes isn't the fastest player on the court, but his craftiness as a ballhandler, shot maker, and creator, could be his main advantage. In some ways, his game reminds me of a D'Angelo Russell with the way he can play at his own pace and use this to his advantage in order to get to his spots.
Hayes has also shown great potential on the defensive side. His aggressiveness and effort on that end of the floor will be what makes him stand out as a defender. He has active hands and his length should make him a disruptive pest on the perimeter.
In connection with the Russell comparison, D'Lo took a while to find his footing in the NBA. Thus, it could just be a matter of time before Hayes figures it out and takes off. Still, the way he performs this season should prove just how good he can eventually become, and this should give the Pistons an idea if he indeed is going to be a key piece of their franchise. And if the lefty combo guard takes a massive leap this season, it wouldn't be shocking if Detroit somehow finds itself in the thick of play-in tournament berth. It's why he's the Pistons X Factor for the upcoming NBA season.
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