OT What Do The Pistons See In Jarvis Hayes?

[azirish]

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070817/SPORTS03/708170394/1051

Pistons grab injury-riddled small forward Jarvis Hayes from Wizards

August 17, 2007
BY KRISTA JAHNKE
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
All summer, the Pistons said they could live with a backup-small-forward-by-committee system. They said they could fill minutes behind Tayshaun Prince with second-round draft pick Sammy Mejia, rookie guard Arron Afflalo and maybe even shooting guard Richard Hamilton.
Now, consider that Plan B.

Plan A is small forward Jarvis Hayes, a restricted free agent the Pistons signed Thursday to a one-year deal using a small portion of their $5.6-million midlevel exception. Washington did not match the offer.

"We are pleased to add Jarvis Hayes to our roster," team president Joe Dumars said in a news release. "Jarvis has proven himself as a solid NBA player over the last four seasons, and we like the flexibility and depth he will bring to our team at the small forward position."

Hayes fits the typical Pistons prototype as a player who has endured more than his share of struggles and was eventually cast off from another team. The No. 10 pick of Washington in the illustrious 2003 draft, Hayes has spent most of his four-year career with the Wizards battling injuries.

He played 70 games his first year, averaging 9.6 points and making the second-team all-rookie team. But the 6-foot-8 forward missed 89 games in the next two seasons as he recovered from two kneecap fractures.

He first suffered the cracked knee when he banged it with Spurs forward Manu Ginobili on Feb. 2, 2005. Once he received a green light from team doctors, Hayes played for three more weeks before he fully broke the bone.

He elected to let the bone heal naturally, forgoing surgery. But the next season, 21 games in, he reinjured it and missed the rest of his third season after having surgery.

Hayes rebounded to play in 81 games last season, but struggled with consistency. His minutes dropped early on, and he finished with averages of 7.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 20.1 minutes a game. He had 17 starts when the Wizards lost Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison to injuries, and he started in all four of the Wizards' playoff games, averaging 10.8 points.

But with Prince's former backup, Carlos Delfino, traded to Toronto, Hayes has a role ready and waiting for him if he can stay healthy and consistent.
At his best, Hayes is a solid offensive contributor with a steady jump shot, athleticism and a consistent three-point touch. While not known for superb defensive play, he is a capable defender who can cover multiple positions. In his career, he has averaged 40.2% shooting from the floor, 34.1% on three-pointers and 82.4% at the free-throw line.

His addition lifts the Pistons' roster to 16, one above the maximum allowed when the regular season opens.

Mejia's contract is only partially guaranteed, and the Pistons have other cheap contracts -- namely Ronald (Flip) Murray's and Ronald Dupree's -- they could choose to eat to get under the limit.

I don't get it. Hayes is not much of defender and his shooting does not knock your socks off. He's a career 40.2% shooter and 36.1% for three. He's reasonably athletic, but not exceptional. What am I missing?

I bring this up because it is well known that Jalen Rose wants to return to Detroit (he played at Michigan). Rose struggled in the D'Antoni system, but his stats were vastly better than Hayes': 44.2% shooting and 44.7% for three. He averaged only 3.7 ppg, but his points per minute at 0.435 is much better than Hayes' 0.358.

All I can figure is that Rose has really slowed down in recent years, which would suggest why D'Antoni didn't play him. Still, I am surprised to find Hayes is the Piston's choice.

 

[PhxGametime]

"He first suffered the cracked knee when he banged it with Spurs forward Manu Ginobili on Feb. 2, 2005."


I can only imagine

 

[slinslin]

He is talented, young and can shoot...

 

[Gaddabout]

Maybe they're thinking after Ginobli flops and injures most of the rest of the NBA, Jarvis Hayes will be the only healthy player left. I mean, what are the chances of a Ginobli flop injuring the same player twice?

 

[dodie53]

i think jarvis is a quality player off the bench..

and the pistons need someone to replace delfino

 

[Sunsman44]

age.

Hayes < Rose = Hayes is better