Minnesota Timberwolves NBA Draft 2020 Prospect Profile: Killian Hayes

Killian Hayes NBA Draft 2020 Prospect Profile: Strengths

LaMelo Ball is the best playmaker in the draft, and his court awareness is also top-shelf. Killian Hayes is second on this list, and he’s in that second tier all by himself.

Hayes is a dynamic playmaker who can make one-handed passes from anywhere, hitting open teammates streaking down the floor in transition or throwing skip passes in the halfcourt offense.

His reads are also fantastic, and even when making turnovers he was often making the proper decision and just not quite executing. That’s markedly better than simply not making the proper read, and shows NBA-caliber offensive awareness at only 18 years old.

In terms of shooting, Hayes has solid touch from everywhere on the floor. While he struggled mightily shooting the ball from deep in his stop at Cholet in the LNB Pro A, he showed growth in 10 games with Ulm, knocking down 39 percent on 4.1 3-point attempts per game.

He’s better shooting off the dribble than he is in catch-and-shoot situations, which is the inverse of D’Angelo Russell’s strength. While Hayes would surely play the ball off the ball more initially in the NBA, it’s likely that he would eventually transition into more of a lead guard role, allowing Russell to play more off the ball.

Hayes is also a fantastic free throw shooter and combined with his solid shot mechanics it suggests that he’ll only continue to improve his touch from long-range.

At 6-foot-5 with a wingspan north of 6-foot-8, Hayes is big enough to play both guard spots and strong enough to finish through contact in the paint, where he’ll add a dimension to the Wolves offense that Russell doesn’t bring.

Defensively, Hayes uses his size and awareness to be a solid on-ball defender and has the upside to be an above-average off-ball defender. His steal, block, and rebounding rates all suggest that Hayes will be a passable defender in the NBA.

Let’s explore some of Hayes’ weaknesses.