Frank Kaminsky may not be the lone Wisconsin Badger in the NBA for long. The Boston Celtics are reportedly interested in signing Nigel Hayes per Forbes Sports’ Chris Grenham. Hayes, who starred at Wisconsin from 2013-2017, went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Hayes, now 26, has played around Europe over the past few seasons, most recently with BC Zalgiris in Lithuania. At 6-foot-8, the former Badger fits in as a do-it-all type of forward who is comfortable with the ball in his hands on the wing.
The biggest question for Hayes in Madison centered around his shooting, but those questions have largely been answered in Europe. This past season, the former Badger shot 44% from three and over 89% from the line.
He has played sparingly in the NBA, with brief stints for the Raptors, Lakers, and Kings as well as a G-League stint with the Knicks.
Source confirms that the Celtics had Nigel Hayes in for a workout this week. @Carchia was first to report.
Hayes impressed during the workout, and there is interest on both sides in regards to a roster spot — there have been no summer league discussions at this point.
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) July 23, 2021