although not one of the league's premier players, in 2006 hayes signed a shoe endorsement deal with chinese athletic apparel company li ning. the deal was valued at $5 million. on july 31, 2007, hayes signed an incentive-laden contract with the houston rockets valued at $8 million over four years. in 2009, hayes was named co-captain along with shane battier for the 2009–10 houston rockets.