Remember Yuta Watanabe? The Japanese international that was signed by the Phoenix Suns to much fanfare during the Kevin Durant era because he was an elite 3-point shooter?
Despite being stuck in salary cap hell, the franchise somehow got him on a minimum deal which was seen as a massive win at the time. He didn’t even last a full season in The Valley, and was out of the league not long after that.
Nigel Hayes-Davis is the new Watanabe.
Which appears to be the direction that Nigel Hayes-Davis is headed right now. His signing as a former EuroLeague Final Four MVP was celebrated, and in theory the space was there for him to succeed.
Durant’s departure leaving a massive whole at the four, and one which Hayes-Davis was going to be tasked with helping to plug. The hope was also that he could be an excellent locker-room presence, and to his credit that does appear to be the case.
From being underestimated in high school and college to going undrafted, Nigel Hayes-Davis turned every doubt into fuel 🔥
— EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) May 25, 2025
Now he’s a EuroLeague champion and Final Four MVP — a journey of resilience, belief, and heart 💪#F4GLORY pic.twitter.com/65uRppGYCZ
But it also became apparent quickly that head coach Jordan Ott’s style of play on both ends of the court were going to struggle to incorporate the 30-year-old. Take the most recent loss to the Houston Rockets as a glaring example.
Despite the team missing two starters in Jalen Green and Grayson Allen - and with Oso Ighodaro being publicly backed despite his own shortcomings - Hayes-Davis saw three minutes of action. The same amount of time as Khaman Maluach, who was just sent to the G League again, and new addition Jamaree Bouyea.
Coach Ott used a 12-man rotation for the game in search of answers, and Hayes-Davis was not one of them. When you consider Mark Williams also was held out of the loss, there’s no question Hayes-Davis is dropping out of the rotation when the roster is fully healthy.
The Suns were at least able to trade Watanabe back to a former team in the Memphis Grizzlies midway through the season before he eventually departed for China. It seems unlikely they will have the same luxury with Hayes-Davis.
It would be unfair to call this a misfire by the front office, because the Suns weren't supposed to start the season so well and needed veterans for the influx of younger players that arrived over the summer. Perhaps if the team drops some more games, Hayes-Davis will be called upon. That seems unlikely at this point.
This was a chance worth taking for the franchise, but they’re simply better than expected and have found another player and body type in Isaiah Livers who is a better defender at the four than Hayes-Davis. A popular individual in Phoenix, but Europe surely beckons once more.