CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Charge, the Cavs’ G League affiliate, made a quiet but meaningful move this week, acquiring the player rights to Killian Hayes from the Long Island Nets in exchange for a first- and second-round pick in the 2026 G League Draft.

On its own, the transaction might have blended into the long list of offseason roster shuffling, but the Cavs quickly made it clear this was about more than the G League.

Hayes, once the No. 7 overall pick in the NBA Draft, is among five players invited to Florida next week for Cavaliers training camp at IMG Academy, sources told cleveland.com.

For Hayes, the invitation represents a chance at revival.

At 6-foot-5 with the ball-handling and vision that once made him a prized lottery pick, his career has yet to stabilize. He spent four uneven seasons with the Detroit Pistons before a brief stint in Brooklyn last year, logging just six games for the Nets.

The flashes are still there. The size, the passing, the defensive versatility. But the consistency has never caught up.

Now, at 24 years old, Hayes will try to prove he belongs in an NBA rotation again, starting with the Cavs.

And it doesn’t hurt that head coach Kenny Atkinson already has familiarity with Hayes from their shared time with the French National Team, giving Hayes a built-in connection as he steps into camp.

While the built in chemistry is helpful, Cleveland’s investment in the young guard on his last leg in the league is a mix of timing, fit, and necessity.

Training camp this year doubles as an audition stage, with the Cavs still holding one two-way contract spot alongside Luke Travers and Nae’Qwan Tomlin. They chose not to tender a qualifying offer to Emoni Bates, who has since signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, leaving the door open for someone else to climb through.

Those other invitees who will potentially join Hayes at IMG are Norchad Omier, Tristan Enaruna, Chaney Johnson, and Jaxson Robinson. Many of them already have experience with the Cavs through summer league. Together, they form a patchwork group of long shots and hopefuls, all eyeing that same sliver of daylight on the Cavs’ roster.

Hayes’ case carries a different weight. He is ineligible for the final two-way spot due to his five years of service in the league, so his only chance of making the Cavs’ roster is through a standard contract — the Cavs aren’t planning on signing a 15th roster player until later in the season if they deem necessary.

Still, he’s not just another camp invite, but a former lottery pick with over 200 NBA games under his belt.

That experience matters, especially with Cleveland bracing for life without Darius Garland, who could be out until Thanksgiving or longer as he recovers from toe surgery.

In his absence, the Cavs will lean heavily on Donovan Mitchell, but the guard rotation behind him will also have to carry its weight.

Rookie Tyrese Proctor, Cleveland’s 49th pick this summer, has promise but will need time to adapt. Craig Porter Jr. showed toughness and poise in flashes last season but still has to prove he can be counted on night after night.

That uncertainty leaves Cleveland searching for another guard to shoulder the load in preseason, where Donovan Mitchell won’t be asked to play all four games and Garland won’t be on the floor at all. Hayes could become the first barometer, a test case to see if the backcourt around Mitchell is ready for more responsibility against NBA-level competition.

But the Cavs’ need runs deeper than just filling minutes. What they’re really looking for is a stabilizer — someone who can settle an offense, guard multiple spots, and hold things together until Garland returns while alleviating the minute-load on Lonzo Ball.

Hayes doesn’t have to be the star Detroit once envisioned when it drafted him seventh overall. He just has to be dependable, the kind of floor-raiser who organizes the second unit. That alone would put pressure on the front office to keep him around.

And if his jumper ever comes around, if the confidence finally locks in, Cleveland might uncover more than a stopgap. The Cavs might find a bargain reclamation project hiding in plain sight.

For now, the equation is simple. The Charge control his G League rights. The Cavs have a camp invite in his hand. The rest is up to Hayes.

A strong showing at IMG could pave the way for him to secure that final deal and put himself back on the NBA floor. A stumble could send him back to the waiting game, a cautionary tale of a prospect who never quite figured it out.

Either way, the opportunity is there. Cleveland has opened the door. For Hayes and for a handful of other hungry hopefuls, the challenge begins next week.

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