Nets Replace Ben Simmons With Former Lottery Pick

The Brooklyn Nets are signing former lottery pick Killian Hayes to a 10-day contract, according to HoopsHype insider Michael Scotto.

This decision comes amid a flurry of post All-Star Break moves. On Wednesday, the Nets also waived Bojan Bogdanovic and promoted Tyrese Martin to the standard roster. With that being said, Hayes’s addition looks to be more about replacing Ben Simmons, who reached a buyout agreement with the Nets and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Like Simmons, Hayes is a two-way playmaker with a high basketball IQ and great measurables. One who has also had trouble making much of a dent as a scorer.

Nets Replace Ben Simmons With Former Lottery Pick

A known commodity since being selected seventh overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, Hayes has spent the entirety of 2024-25 playing for the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s official G League affiliate. With Long Island, he’s been averaging 20.8 points, 8.9 assists, and 2.3 steals per game (13 games). Those numbers are relatively impressive, even considering the level of competition.

The Brooklyn Nets are signing Killian Hayes to a 10-day contract, agent Yann Balikouzou told @hoopshype. Hayes earned the call up after his standout play for Brooklyn’s G League team, the Long Island Nets. Hayes was the seventh overall pick of the 2020 draft. pic.twitter.com/IONEYbQwjJ

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) February 19, 2025

What’s really turning heads is that he’s been shooting 49.3 percent from the field and 40.3 percent from three-point range, with 32.9 percent of his field goal attempts coming from downtown.

At the NBA level, Hayes had already demonstrated the ability to effect the game at both ends with his length and basketball IQ. The problem was that his shots often clanged off the rim, especially his long jumpers. In 210 career NBA games, the French floor general was shooting 38.2 percent from the field and 27.7 percent from three. His offensive performance left much to be desired.

To that point, Hayes averaged career-highs of 10.3 points, 6.2 assists, and 28.3 minutes per game with the Detroit Pistons in 2022-23. He started in 56 of the the 76 games that he played. However, he shot just 37.7 percent from the field and 28.0 percent from three. His on-court plus-minus (-11.6) was the third-worst in the team’s rotation.

What’s Next For Killian Hayes?

With his improvements from beyond the arc, Hayes is a more viable offensive option than he’s ever been.

He probably won’t come in and take D’Angelo Russell‘s starting job, especially on a 10-day contract. However, it’s not out of the realm of the imagination that he could assume that mantle by the end of the season. Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez’s primary concern is putting his team in the best position to win. As Hayes is more impactful than Russell defensively, perhaps he’d be the better tone-setter in the first unit.

Whatever his role becomes specifically, his overarching responsibilities will remain the same. On defense, he needs to pressure the ball and get into passing lanes. On offense, he needs to push the pace and utilize his passing ability to make his teammates’ jobs easier.