Hamidou Diallo, NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion from 2019, agreed to a two-year deal with the Detroit Pistons. Diallo, who was a restricted free agent, will earn $10.4 million in the next two seasons.
The agreement was confirmed by Diallo’s agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith.
The Pistons acquired Diallo halfway through the 2020-21 season from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a trade that saw Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and a future second-round draft pick head the opposite way. The 23-year-old player finished the campaign on a good note, averaging 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per contest across 20 games.
Given his encouraging performances, it was believed that the Pistons might face competition for Diallo and would have to pay the premium to re-sign him. This didn’t end up being the case, as the market significantly shrunk for the Kentucky product early in the free agency and allowed the Pistons to keep him on a team-friendly deal.
Hamidou Diallo entered the league as a second-round pick in 2018 and was the subject of two post-draft trades. Originally drafted by the Brooklyn Nets, Diallo was traded first to the Charlotte Hornets and then picked up by OKC shortly after. He has averaged 7.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in his NBA career.
With Diallo on board, the Pistons will now have to trim their roster, considering they have 16 guaranteed contracts. They can do that via trade or by releasing one of their bench pieces. The players that are reportedly on the exit door are veteran center Jahlil Okafor, 2017’s fourth overall pick Josh Jackson and French forward Sekou Doumbouya.
