The Sacramento Kings are moving on from Killian Hayes. The team declined his $3 million option for the 2026-27 season on Monday, sending the former lottery pick into unrestricted free agency just months after signing him to a two-year deal.
Hayes, 24, joined the Kings back in March after a pair of 10-day contracts turned into something more permanent. He showed flashes that reminded people why Detroit took him seventh overall in 2020. A 16-point, eight-assist night against Utah. An 18-point outing versus Golden State. Enough to make the Kings think they might have found something in the backcourt.
But not enough to keep him around long-term apparently.
The decision was reported by Spotrac’s Keith Smith, who confirmed the Kings passed on picking up Hayes’ option before Tuesday’s free agency opening. Now Hayes can sign with any team without Sacramento having the right to match. That’s a cleaner situation for him than being restricted, where an offer sheet can sit in limbo while the original team debates whether to match.
What Hayes Brings Now
Before the Kings gave him a real look, Hayes rebuilt his value in the G League with the Cleveland Charge. He averaged 23.1 points and 8.3 assists there, which is the kind of production that gets teams to pick up the phone. He’s got size for a guard, defensive tools that can bother people, and the ability to create for others when he’s rolling.
The shot is the problem. Always has been. Hayes has never consistently knocked down outside looks, and that’s what keeps him from sticking in a rotation. But teams love a reclamation project with his physical tools, and unrestricted free agency means someone can grab him without any paperwork headaches.
Kings Create Flexibility
For Sacramento, this is about clearing space on the roster after a 2025-26 season that got wrecked by injuries. The front office can now target bench scoring or perimeter defense or another guard entirely without being locked into Hayes. It’s a low-stakes move that lets them keep their options open as the market opens.
Hayes will land somewhere. The question is whether he can finally prove he’s more than a guy who puts up numbers when it doesn’t matter and disappears when it does. Some team is about to find out.
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