When the Detroit Pistons acquired Hamidou Diallo via midseason trade during the 2020-21 season, it quickly became apparent the shooting guard would play a major role in Detroit’s restoration.
Pistons GM Troy Weaver sent Sviatoslav Myhkailiuk to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Diallo and a 2027 second-round pick.
Diallo’s 20 games with the Pistons were some of the best of his young career. In his 129 games with the Thunder, Diallo averaged 6.9 points per game and shot 26.2 percent from beyond the three-point line. In 20 games with Detroit, he averaged 11.2 points per game and shot 39 percent from beyond the arc.
The 23-year-old guard entered the 2021 NBA offseason as a restricted free agent. Early on it was expected that he would receive a decently sized offer sheet the Pistons would have to match. But Diallo’s market was not as strong as what was initially thought. Weaver ended up re-signing the guard to a two-year $10.4 million contract, the second year being a team option.
Diallo will be looking to boost his market value over the next two seasons. The last thing he wants is to have another poor market showing next time he is up for a new contract.
As a young, athletic wing entering just his fourth season in the league, Diallo will be primed to take a leap in performance this upcoming season.
Detroit Pistons: Can Hamidou Diallo take the next step on offense?
It would not come as a surprise if Diallo’s strong shooting numbers with the Pistons were a fluke.
The 23-year-old had not been an efficient long-range shooter for the previous 129 games of his career. The 20 game stretch Diallo had with the Pistons is simply not a large enough sample size to confidently believe he has turned the corner as a three-point shooter.
Proving he can be an efficient shooter from three-point range will be a key factor to Diallo taking the next step on offense this season.
Being a reliable three-point shooter will open up other aspects of Diallo’s offense. Teams will have to respect him along the perimeter. Diallo can take advantage of reckless closeouts by opponents and drive past them off the dribble. Teams will also not be able to sag off of the 23-year-old which will open up the offense for Detroit’s other players as well.
Diallo’s role will likely be to come off the bench. Detroit appears committed to a starting backcourt of Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes. Coming off the bench, Diallo will have the opportunity to lead the offense for the Pistons. The shooting guard would be the most athletic player in Detroit’s bench unit. Diallo could easily become the leading scorer off the bench for the Pistons.
As Detroit’s sixth man, Diallo can maximize his individual play while also making a positive impact on the court.
Diallo could boost his scoring numbers up to around 15-17 points per game while shooting efficiently from the floor. Along with his ability to be a strong rebounder from the guard position, Diallo’s athleticism also lends itself on the defensive end of the court.
If Diallo can continue to build off his 20 game stretch with the Detroit Pistons last season, he could very well have a breakout year in 2021-22. A full offseason and pre-season with Detroit will help Diallo find a more consistent and impactful role with Detroit this upcoming season.