Detroit Pistons: Hamidou Diallo’s free-agent price is going up

The Detroit Pistons are stuck on 15 wins, so they are obviously going to have plenty of questions to answer heading into the offseason.

They need changes, as they can’t run it back with this same group and expect a huge difference in the result, even though they will hopefully be getting back a fully healthy Cade Cunningham.

They obviously are hoping to add a big-time talent via the draft, and will hopefully add some impact free agents to supplement the young core they are building around.

But they also have to decide what to do with their own guys, though most of those decisions will be easy ones. It’s doubtful guys like Cory Joseph or Rodney McGruder will be back, but what about Hamidou Diallo?

The athletic wing has been making a case for himself and may have gotten a big pay raise in the process.

Detroit Pistons: Hamidou Diallo’s stock on the rise

After a slow start, Diallo has really come on in the last 25 games, when he has averaged 12.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game on otherworldly efficiency. He’s shooting 63 percent from the floor in that time, most because he has given up trying to do anything but dunk and score around the rim.

He has his flaws, but he’s the Detroit Pistons’ best energy guy and defender off the bench, which has been getting him some attention of late:

https://twitter.com/NBA_Africa/status/1631168866821783552

He’s arguably been the most exciting Piston to watch this season, has been the spark behind almost all of their big runs, and the team defense improves immensely when he is on the floor.

Hoops Rumors recently listed Diallo as one of their free agents whose stock is on the rise, saying this about his defense:

"“The Pistons have an overall defensive rating of 117.6, which ranks 28th in the league. When Diallo is on the court, Detroit has the equivalent of the league’s fourth-best defense. He is shooting a career-high 58.1% from the field in large part because he is converting 71.8% of his attempts at the rim, per DunksAndThrees.com – a better mark than many centers.”"

They went on to say that Diallo should be able to reap anywhere from $6-10 million per season in free agency.

Diallo is an interesting case, as he’d not likely be getting this type of run on a good playoff team, and he has obvious limitations, but the Detroit Pistons need his energy, athleticism and defense, so should they pay up?

This is going to be one of Troy Weaver’s toughest calls this offseason.