CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs might be looking to their G League affiliate for a boost as they navigate injuries and inconsistent play from their current backcourt rotation.
Two players have emerged as potential candidates for a 10-day contract: former lottery pick Killian Hayes and underdog Darius Brown II.
Hayes has been turning heads with the Cleveland Charge, averaging an impressive 24.4 points and 8.3 assists per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. For a player trying to revitalize his NBA career after failing to meet expectations as a top pick in Detroit, these numbers represent a significant step forward.
“Killian Hayes has been great with the Charge, and the Cavs are thrilled with his progress in his development and what he has done down in the G League,” revealed Chris Fedor, cleveland.com Cavs beat reporter. “A lot of the stuff that they’ve asked of him to work on and things that they wanted to see from his internal development, he is doing those things.”
What makes Hayes’ situation particularly interesting is his connection to Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson, who has ties to the French national basketball program. While Hayes isn’t on the level of French stars like Victor Wembanyama or Rudy Gobert, that pipeline could work in his favor.
However, despite Hayes’ strong performance, the Cavaliers don’t seem to be in a rush to bring him up. The timing of any potential call-up is complicated by the approaching trade deadline on February 5.
“I just don’t see like a huge sense of urgency to give Killian a 10-day contract,” Fedor explained. “But if they do decide to give somebody a 10-day contract. I think Killian’s definitely near the top of that list.”
The Cavs must also consider the possibility of trades that could bring in multiple players, which would affect their roster flexibility. With only one open roster spot currently available, any 10-day contract decision takes on added significance.
Brown presents an interesting alternative to Hayes, given his long-standing relationship with the organization.
“Darius Brown is somebody that this organization has an affinity for,” Fedor noted. “He’s somebody who’s been around the organization for a number of years, spent time with them at summer league multiple times as well.”
The two guards offer different profiles for the Cavaliers to consider. Hayes stands between 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-5 with five years of NBA experience, albeit underwhelming, while Brown is a smaller, pure point guard at around 6-foot to 6-foot-2, depending on who is asked.
For now, the Cavaliers appear content to maintain flexibility ahead of the trade deadline. But with Darius Garland missing time and Lonzo Ball’s stacking DNPs, pressure could mount to add another ball-handler to the mix.
The decision ultimately reflects a larger question facing the Cavs: Do they believe this current group, when healthy, can compete with anyone in the East? If so, minor tweaks like a G League call-up might be all they need. If not, more significant moves could be on the horizon.
Hayes will continue to make his case with the Charge, hoping his renaissance in the G League will earn him another shot at the NBA level – whether with Cleveland or elsewhere.
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