Killian Hayes (PG, DET) - Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 7

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues

ROSTERED IN: 8% of leagues

ANALYSIS: France is already into the knockout stages of the World Cup, Kylian Mbappe keeps bagging goals for the French side, and--oh, yeah, this is supposed to be a fantasy basketball blurb about a wive wire target. Hmmm... what about keeping it Rouge et Bleu talking about fellow (to an extent) France international Killian Hayes?

Hayes, as much as haters will, well, hate it, seems to finally have settled in the NBA. It's taken him more than expected, but Hayes is surely getting there--and he will now enjoy at least a few weeks/months of free reign (if not the entire ROS) with Cade Cunningham pondering surgery to fix some injury issues.

The former seventh-overall pick by the Pistons in 2020, Hayes played 92 games over the last two years but he's already belted 21 of them starting eight and logging 23 MPG. Since Cade got injured on Nov. 9, though, Hayes has started all but one game (Nov. 11) averaging a much healthier 29 MPG in those eight starts.

Hayes' shooting is mediocre at best. He's gone 31-of-83 from the floor as a starter (37%) and scored more than nine points just three times out of eight attempts. That's no bueno, I know, but Hayes is contributing on all other fronts and he's shown some shooting skills at some points, so at least we know it can happen.

In the past 15 days (eight games) through Saturday, Hayes is averaging 3.3 RPG, 5.7 APG, and 1.2 SPG. He's stolen three balls in five different games through the season and in three of the last eight.

Watch out for the shooting percentages if those are heavily factored in your league scoring settings: Hayes is one of three players league-wide averaging shooting splits at 32% from the floor and 30% from beyond the arc at most while hoisting 8+ FGA per game.

On the other hand, he's one of just 13 players with averages of 2+ RPG, 4+ APG, and 1+ SPG with fewer than 2 TOPG, and one of only two doing that in fewer than 28 MPG over the full season through Saturday games.

More Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups

League Winners: Players To Stash For the Stretch Run - 2024 Fantasy Basketball

The All-Star Break is upon us and while it's nice to have some time off from setting lineups, making DFS lineups, and placing bets. It's also a nice time to look ahead and what moves you can make to put your team in the best position possible to win a fantasy basketball title. Remember, the […]

Dan Palyo 9 months ago

Trendon Watford (PF, POR) - Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 23

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 7% of leagues ANALYSIS: According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (reporting on Sunday morning), the Portland Trail Blazers are leaning toward shutting down Damian Lillard for the remainder of the season. The Blazers, mind you, have been without Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, Lillard, and Jusuf […]

Antonio Losada 2 years ago

Xavier Tillman Sr. (PF, MEM) - Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 23

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 7% of leagues ANALYSIS: With just a week and a half remaining in the regular season and Memphis sitting pretty in the no. 2 seed in the Western Conference, it's hard to envision Steven Adams returning before the playoffs and risking any sort of setback in […]

Antonio Losada 2 years ago

Deni Avdija (SF, WAS) - Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 23

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 8% of leagues ANALYSIS: The surge of Deni Avdija in all fantasy leaderboards has a very easy-to-grasp reason and that's Kyle Kuzma missing time with an injury. Ruled out Sunday, that made it four consecutive outings missed by the Kuz, which has clearly opened the door […]

Antonio Losada 2 years ago

Nick Richards (C, CHA) - Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 23

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 9% of leagues ANALYSIS: Rookie Mark Williams returned to the Charlotte Hornets' rotation on Friday and logged 21 minutes coming off the pine. Nick Richards started at center for the seventh consecutive time, but keep in mind Williams had done so for 12 straight games before […]

Antonio Losada 2 years ago