The Phoenix Suns signed Nigel Hayes-Davis in the offseason, and I mistakenly thought he would be a difference-maker. The reigning EuroLeague Final Four MVP had all the tools and was seemingly motivated by his first NBA flop. It seemed like all he needed, but Hayes-Davis was abysmal in Phoenix before being dumped at the deadline.

The 6’7 forward averaged 1.3 points and 1.2 rebounds in 7.2 minutes per game this season. He was shooting 32.6 percent from the field and 12.5 percent on his threes. Hayes-Davis couldn’t get on the floor and struggled when he did. The Suns moved on before the deadline, and he was quickly waived by the Bucks after the trade.

This is not his first flameout, so I should have known better. His versatile game in the EuroLeague got me excited. With the Suns’ new identity, Hayes-Davis seemed like the perfect fit. Sadly, he is just not an NBA player. The 31-year-old will likely head back to Europe to be an elite option.

I couldn’t have been more wrong about Nigel Hayes-Davis

This was my take on what the veteran forward would provide this season.

“His ability to hit shots and make connective plays was impressive. Hayes-Davis won’t be a star, but he could instantly become a valuable rotation piece for the Suns.”

Get the laughs in now. Hayes couldn’t hit shots and didn’t make connective plays. He was not even close to being a valuable rotation piece at any point, and the tape was so bad the Bucks quickly waived him. Milwaukee is looking for depth, but clearly didn’t think Hayes-Davis could help.

I am not afraid to admit I was wrong. Hayes-Davis couldn’t stick in the Suns’ rotation. They had a negative-15.5 net rating in his 197 minutes and were 19.5 points per 100 possessions better without him. Those numbers do not seem real, but they are.

His production was awful by every metric. Hayes-Davis had a negative value over replacement player (VORP) and a negative win shares per 48 minutes. He may have been the worst player in the NBA this season, and certainly made me look bad.

Suns fans won’t remember Nigel Hayes-Davis’ tenure. He was on a minimum contract and gone after 27 games. This will be forgotten in history, but it was still an awful call by me. I have more than my fair share of bad takes, but this was one of the worst. He lasted just half a season in the league before being forced back to Europe.

The Phoenix Suns won’t miss Nigel Hayes-Davis. He may be one of the best players in Europe, but he couldn’t cut it in the NBA. Hayes-Davis turned into what happened to Vasilije Micic. I was wrong in thinking the forward would make an impact. All I can do is learn from my mistake and move on. The Suns clearly learned from theirs in recent years.

The bold calls won’t stop coming from me. Hopefully, I have got better takes in me than the one about Nigel Hayes-Davis. All fans can do is stay tuned to find out.