Do you remember Yuta Watanabe? The Japan international who was signed by the Phoenix Suns with much fanfare during the Kevin Durant era because he was an elite 3-point shooter?
Despite being stuck in salary cap hell, he somehow got a minimal deal that was seen as a huge win at the time. He didn’t even last a full season in The Valley, and not long afterward he was out of the league.
Nigel Hayes-Davis is the new Watanabe.
That seems to be the direction Nigel Hayes-Davis is going at the moment. His signing as a former EuroLeague Final Four MVP was celebrated, and in theory there was room for success.
Durant’s departure left a huge gap at the four, and one that Hayes-Davis would be tasked with helping close. The hope was also that he could be an excellent presence in the locker room, and to his credit that does appear to be the case.
From being underestimated in high school and college to failing in college, Nigel Hayes-Davis turned every doubt into fuel š„
Now he is a EuroLeague champion and Final Four MVP ā a journey of resilience, faith and heart šŖ#F4GLORY pic.twitter.com/65uRppGYCZ
ā EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) May 25, 2025
But it also quickly became clear that head coach Jordan Ott’s style of play would struggle to integrate the 30-year-old at both ends of the pitch. Take the most recent loss to the Houston Rockets as a striking example.
Despite the team missing two starters in Jalen Green and Grayson Allen ā and Oso Ighodaro being publicly supported despite his own shortcomings ā Hayes-Davis saw three minutes of action. The same amount of time as Khaman Maluach, who was just sent back to the G League, 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. Considering that Mark Williams was also held out of the loss, there’s no doubt that Hayes-Davis will step 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 midseason before he ultimately headed to China. It seems unlikely they’ll have the same luxury with Hayes-Davis.
It would be unfair to call this a failure by the front office, as the Suns weren’t supposed to start the season this well and needed veterans for the influx of younger players who arrived this summer. Perhaps Hayes-Davis will be called upon if the team drops a few more games. That seems unlikely at this point.
This was a worthwhile opportunity for the franchise, but they are simply better than expected and have found a different player and body type in Isaiah Livers, who is a better defender than Hayes-Davis at the four. A popular individual in Phoenix, but Europe certainly beckons again.
#Suns #Yuta #Watanabe #roster