The Detroit Pistons have ended the suspense and re-signed Hamidou Diallo to a 2 year/$10.4 million deal.
This is a great deal for the Pistons, as I predicted Diallo would get closer to $8 million per season based on the average salaries for guys with his skill level and experience.
So Troy Weaver once again locked up another talented player for cheap, much like he did last season with Josh Jackson.
Weaver has made some underrated moves so far, including the signing of Frank Jackson, Kelly Olynyk and Isaiah Livers and I think we can add Hamidou Diallo to that list.
Diallo had a breakout season, especially with the Pistons, where he averaged 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds while shooting 39 percent from long range mostly off the bench.
But the Diallo signing puts the Pistons at 16 guaranteed contracts, and since they have already used both of their 2-way contracts, someone will have to go to clear a roster spot for Diallo.
This means the Detroit Pistons will either have to make a trade or someone is getting cut, which would add another stack to the dead money pile that the Pistons are building.
Who is most likely to go? Let’s take a look.
Detroit Pistons: Players who are unlikely to be moved after Hamidou Diallo signing
The Detroit Pistons have a trio of guys who recently signed and therefore cannot be traded until December.
Cory Joseph, Rodney McGruder and Trey Lyles were all recently signed, so the Pistons can’t trade them yet.
I can’t imagine Weaver would have signed any of these guys if he didn’t think they could make the rotation, so I imagine all three are safe from being traded.
But that doesn’t mean they won’t be cut.
Detroit Pistons roster: Players most likely to be cut
Cory Jospeh is definitely safe, as it would cost too much to cut him and he will likely have a role as the second or third point guard.
It would cost the Pistons $1.7 million to cut Rodney McGruder, which is the cheapest option, but Weaver seems to like his leadership, so I think he is safe as well.
They could cut Trey Lyles, but it would cost the Detroit Pistons $2.5 million, and the Pistons can use his 3-point shooting off the bench.
Cutting Jahlil Okafor would cost the Pistons $2.1 million, and they do have a guy who is ready to take over in Luka Garza, so I could see Okafor cut and Garza take his spot.
Pistons’ fans have suggested that Okafor could be traded, and I suppose it is possible, but I can’t imagine the Pistons getting much, if anything, in return. If they could even get a protected 2nd-round pick for Okafor, that would be a big win, as I can’t see too many teams lining up to take on a one-dimensional center.
If the Pistons go the cheapest route, they will cut McGruder, but if that’s the case, why even sign him in the first place? If someone gets cut, I think it will be Okafor, but there are other options.
Detroit Pistons roster: 2 players who could be traded
Of the remaining players, I see two guys the Pistons could trade who might have some value in terms of draft assets.
Ideally, the Pistons could trade one or two players and not take one back, but this would require a team with a small amount of cap space to absorb one of these deals.
With Diallo on board, Josh Jackson may be redundant, as both are athletic defenders with mediocre long-range shots.
There are teams what might want to trade for Jackson, and given that he is on a team-friendly deal, he’d be the easiest to move and probably net the biggest return.
The other option is third-year forward Sekou Doumbouya, who didn’t have a good Summer League and might be on borrowed time as a Piston.
Doumbouya is the last remaining player that Weaver didn’t bring in himself, so I could see him moved if there is a team out there that wants to take a flyer on his upside. I can’t see Doumbouya getting much in return, so the best play might be to trade both he and Jackson in the same deal.
If the Pistons could trade both, they might be able to take back a player who could help them while clearing a roster spot for Diallo.
More moves are coming soon and one or more of the current Detroit Pistons won’t be with the team next season.