He was taken 10th in the 2003 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards, to back up Jerry Stackhouse, to come in off the bench and provide that deep range. Hayes averaged 13.0 points and 4.3 rebounds through the first three games of the season but hit the 'rookie wall' within a month. He was the Wizards' only representative at the season's All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles when he made the Rookie-Sophomore challenge. By season's end, he had made through a tough season and sported some solid numbers in spite of missing 12 games with various injuries. In that rookie season, he averaged 9.6 points while making 42 starts and playing an average of 29.2 minutes. In a draft class that featured LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, Hayes was seen as a steal.