The Brooklyn Nets have made a move to shake up their roster, waiving veteran forward Bojan Bogdanovic and signing former No. 7 overall pick Killian Hayes to a 10-day contract. The team is also adding two-way guard Tyrese Martin to a standard NBA deal, further reshaping their lineup.
This decision comes after it was announced that Bogdanovic would undergo season-ending foot surgery, effectively ending his year with the Nets. The 35-year-old Croatian forward, who did not play a game this season, will not be part of the team during his second stint in Brooklyn.
Hayes, 24, has been impressing with the Long Island Nets in the NBA G League. The guard, who also participated in Brooklyn’s training camp, averaged 21 points and 8.3 assists per game with Long Island. His strong performance in the G League earned him this opportunity for a 10-day contract with the Nets.
Last season, Hayes averaged 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game in 24 minutes for the Detroit Pistons. Although he struggled to find consistent minutes with Detroit, his G League numbers this season suggest that he may be ready to contribute at the NBA level.
Alongside Hayes, Brooklyn is promoting Martin, a 25-year-old guard, to a standard NBA contract. Martin has been averaging 7.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 21 minutes per game for the Nets this season.
The Nets (20-34), currently sitting 12th in the Eastern Conference, are in the midst of a rebuilding phase. The move to waive Bogdanovic and sign Hayes and Martin will free up roster spots as the team looks to develop young talent while staying competitive in the playoff race.
Brooklyn is just 1.5 games behind the 10th-seeded Chicago Bulls and 8.5 games behind the Detroit Pistons, who hold the sixth seed in the East.
