Detroit Pistons: 3 players primed to have a breakout 2021-22 season

Detroit Pistons: Hamidou Diallo is still playing for his big contract

The 2021 offseason was not favorable to Hamidou Diallo. The wing entered restricted free agency expecting to be met with multiple contract offers ranging in the 10s of millions. Instead, the 23-year-old ended up back with Detroit on a smaller 2-year deal with a $5.2 million salary each year. The second year of the contract is also a team option.

Diallo did not receive the contract he was expecting. In 20 games with the Pistons, Diallo averaged 11.2 points per game. He also shot efficiently from beyond the arc for the first time in his career at 39 percent.

As Diallo progresses through this next season with Detroit he will be looking to continue building off his 20 game averages and earn himself the contract he felt he deserved.

The first step for Diallo is to sustainably shoot the ball efficiently. His 39 percent shooting from three-point range came in a very small sample size. Continuing to shoot well from beyond the arc, preferably at a larger volume, will help the 23-year-old develop into a much more dynamic offensive threat.

Diallo is an extremely athletic player. As a slasher and a driver, he is dangerous to opposing teams. If his shooting can become a consistent part of his game, he will be a threat to score from almost anywhere on the court. He could quickly turn into one of Detroit’s leading scorers.

If the young wing continues to develop off of his 20 games in Detroit last season, he could post numbers close to 17 points per game and 6 rebounds per game. This would be a major step forward for the 23-year-old and also help Detroit become a much more dynamic offense as a result.