The Pistons traded for 22-year old Hamidou Diallo two weeks before this season’s trade deadline, and it appears they liked what they saw from the athletic wing in his 20 games in Detroit. Pistons GM Troy Weaver helped draft Diallo during his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and, as NBA.com’s Keith Langlois writes, Weaver still has sky-high expectations for Diallo.
“Hami, he fits what we’re trying to do here,” Weaver said. “Tremendous mindset, tremendous competitor. Defensive mindset, athletic and he brings it. You can never have too many guys that have that mindset and that competitiveness.”
Diallo, one of the better rebounding guards in the league, with an improving jump shot and a limitless supply of energy, is set to hit restricted free agency this summer, but Weaver seems to expect he’ll be back in Detroit next season.
Here’s more on the Pistons:
- The Pistons and senior director of player personnel Gregg Polinsky have agreed to part ways, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks, despite the success of recent draftees Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart. This comes as part of a larger shake-up within the team’s development staff.
- Keith Langlois writes about how the hiring of ex-Michigan head coach John Beilein as senior advisor of player development points to a larger trend for the Pistons. Between head coach Dwayne Casey, assistant coach Tim Grgurich and the new addition of Beilein, Weaver and team owner Tom Gores have prioritized building a robust and experienced development staff as the team enters a rebuilding period. “With the age of our core group, I wanted to add to our excellent developmental staff,” Casey said in a statement issued by the Pistons. “John is a basketball lifer with a passion to help young players get better, especially in the area of shooting. We have an excellent group of young development coaches who have done a good job with our young core.”
- The Pistons have announced a new jersey sponsor: United Wholesale Mortgage. The Pistons’ previous uniform patch sponsor was Flagstar Bank.
Which OKC player Troy Weaver IS gonna trade for next ?
SGJ
I think Pistons have a good young core. They get a top 4 pick. Even top 5 which they will. It’s a future star or at worst a future starter. They will be real young but very talented . Pistons future looks bright.
Meh they’re a B+ OKC without the stockpile of picks.
If Memphis is the talented young team blueprint: where is Detroit’s Morant? Their Randle? Hell, their Burks?
Future is bright, sure. If you squint really hard you might actually see it.
Weaver certainly won his battles in the organiztion, with guys moving in & out based on his calls.
Some FO types are described as “robust in developing”… I wonder what the word is when they claim to be strong with veterans.
Another phrase is, “good with Xs & Os”.
“Winners” get to keep their current job.
Weaver, as a GM, had a good first season. He was very aggressive in an underrated evaluator’s draft. He bet on himself so to speak. And it looks like it’s paid off. Then, a great FA signing (Grant), and a very solid second one (Plumlee). BUT, the team didn’t have such a good season on the court. You can’t have the second draft spot and claim a good season. They were dysfunctional on the court at various points (not just the beginning) of the season. Hard to evaluate what some guys would have done in an even slightly disciplined environment. Next few years, he’s got to move past piece collection to true assessment and selection.
Casey played 6-5 Diallo mostly at the 4 and he avg 8 rebs per 36′.
Weaver may go after Josh Hart from the Pels, also originally from Wash.DC.