Where does Hamidou Diallo fit in Pistons restoration process?

Hamidou Diallo could be a starter for the rest of season

There are legitimate questions as to whether Diallo will keep his grip on a starting role even in the event that Jerami Grant returns to his spot as the team’s starting ‘4’. Killian Hayes’ starting spot seems like the least secure, with Casey often playing him less than the other starters, particularly keeping him out of late-game situations in favor of another guard, like Cory Joseph or even 10-day signee Justin Robinson, as occurred against the Bucks. Could Diallo steal this starting role from Killian? I think so, and I’m beginning to think this could happen sooner rather than later.

The issue with Diallo ousting Killian as a starter is the bench guard rotation. If Killian is relegated to the bench, the unit will feature three lead guards in him, Saben Lee, and Cory Joseph. While Saben spent time in the G-League earlier this year, he has proven he’s too good for that level of competition. Joseph, on the other hand, is among the few veterans on this roster who have a ton of NBA experience.

This move would cause a logjam at this position (and would likely result in one of the three falling out of the rotation or getting traded), but if Hamidou can continue to produce at this level, it might be a necessary result.

Ultimately, I think Hamidou will be viewed as a starter for the remainder of the season if Grant is traded, and I honestly believe that even if Grant isn’t traded, Diallo will end up nabbing Killian’s spot.