On the eve of 2025-26 NBA training camp, the Cleveland Cavaliers have signed point guard Killian Hayes, per HoopsHype senior insider Michael Scotto.
The details of the contract weren’t disclosed. With two available roster spots, the Cavaliers were expected to sign a player to a non-guaranteed contract and leave the last slot open due to tax concerns (h/t The Stein Line insider Jake Fischer). However, Hayes hasn’t seen the court much the past two years and played just six games last season.
Cavs Add To PG Depth With Killian Hayes Signing
As the seventh overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Hayes is considered a bust at this point. In five seasons, he’s played 216 games (150 starts), averaging 8.1 points, 5.2 assists and 1.2 steals per contest. Shooting 38.3% from the field and 28.1% from 3, his modest scoring has been the byproduct of rough touch.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and former No. 7 overall pick Killian Hayes have agreed to a deal, agent Yann Balikouzou of @LIFTSPORTSMNGMT told @hoopshype. He averaged 9.0 points on 38% from 3-point range, 5.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds during six games with the Brooklyn Nets last season pic.twitter.com/xyh6vdXMBh
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) September 23, 2025
Not only does the lefty have an off-center jumper, he’s also been an inefficient finisher. This has overshadowed the things that Hayes does do at a high level. At 6-foot-5 and 195 pounds, he’s effective at using his intelligent and physical tools (which includes a solid amount of fluid athleticism) to make plays in the passing lanes, at both ends.
There may be hope that the 24-year-old is rounding the corner offensively though. He spent most of the 2024-25 season in the G League with the Long Island Nets. However, he surprisingly shot 41.7% from 3 (on 6.0 attempts per game). When he got an opportunity to play for the guard-needy Brooklyn Nets, he shot 38.1% from 3. With that being said, if Hayes’s improved trey-ball isn’t a fluke, he’s an x-factor.
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