These Detroit Pistons don’t provide a whole lot of reason to watch some nights.
That could change next month.
Killian Hayes, the seventh overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, has been cleared for on-court basketball activities, per a release from the Pistons. After sustaining a hip sublaxion against the Milwaukee Bucks back on January 4, Hayes now appears primed to return to the court later this season.
Though he’s been cleared for on-court activity, he still has a three week ramp up period before he’ll be cleared for game action. This is good news on a number of levels. First, it appears Hayes’ injury has healed, which is most important, but it also provides valuable minutes for a player who needed that on-court time early in the season.
Hayes struggled in seven games, all starts, averaging just 4.6 points and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 27% from the field and 25% from three-point territory. He’s better than those numbers, but he rejoins a potentially crowded backcourt.
Fellow rookie Saben Lee has established himself as a solid bench reserve, while Dennis Smith Jr. appeared to have hit his stride before his current absence. That isn’t even factoring in veteran Delon Wright, who may or may not be dealt at the trade deadline on March 25.
If all goes well with Hayes over the next three weeks, he could return for the Pistons at the Denver Nuggets on April 6 or at the Sacramento Kings on April 8.
Killian is (almost) back, how do y’all feel about it?