2:31pm: The trade is now official, Detroit has announced in a press release (Twitter link).
9:35am: The Pistons will send Marvin Bagley III, Isaiah Livers and two second-round picks to the Wizards in exchange for Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The picks are for 2025 and 2026, sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Detroit used some of its draft assets to offload Bagley’s contract, which will pay him $12.5MM next season. The other three players in the trade are all on expiring deals, with Livers at $1.8MM, Gallinari at $6.8MM and Muscala at $3.5MM.
Bagley had been a part-time starter since being acquired from Sacramento at the 2022 trade deadline, but the organization is motivated to create as much cap space as possible in the wake of a disastrous season. Detroit will have 11 impending free agents once the trade is finalized and currently projects to have about $64MM to work with in free agency, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN.
This could be the start of a complete overhaul for the 3-36 Pistons heading into the February 8 trade deadline, suggests Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports cites a high-ranking source who tells him the deal is just the “first step” (Twitter link).
There are several options available for the two draft picks in the trade, observes John Hollinger of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 2025 selection could be a return of Washington’s pick, while the 2026 choice could be from Minnesota, New York, New Orleans or Portland.
Bagley, the second overall selection in the 2018 draft, will get a chance to revive his career with another rebuilding team in Washington. Although he was averaging 10.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 26 games this season, he was an awkward fit for a team that already had Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart and James Wiseman in its big-man rotation.
Livers, a 25-year-old forward, established himself as a rotation player in Detroit after being drafted in the second round in 2021. He averaged 5.0 points and 2.1 rebounds in 23 games this season, but was shooting career lows of 34.5% from the field and 28.6% from three-point range.
Gallinari appeared in 26 games in his first year with the Wizards after sitting out all of last season with a torn ACL. The 35-year-old forward was averaging 7.0 points and 2.9 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per night.
Muscala, 32, was acquired from Boston last summer in the same deal as Gallinari. He averaged 4.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in 24 games in his brief time in Washington.
The Pistons will also create a $5.7MM trade exception in the deal, according to cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link).
When do the Pistons get rid of Troy Weaver? This is ridiculous!
A bad trade for Pistons
They need to develop Bagley
@Sillivan Lol are you serious?
Lmao
I’d give Weaver time.
People were calling for Sam Presti to be fired and they finally figured it out.
They have pieces.
Cunningham
Ivey
Thompson
Sasser
Duren
Stewart
Going forward especially in free agency
PG Ivey, Sasser + possibly a veteran FA
SG Cunningham, Bring in Melton as a FA
SF Thompson, Bring in O Neale, House Jr, or Jones Jr as FA
PF Stewart, Bring in Olynk, Anderson as FA
C I’d go for broke on Claxton bring him in and Duren, Wiseman as back up but id replace Wiseman if a better offer becomes available in draft or free agency.
Roster needs a whole reset especially bench so Pistons should be active on the free agent market or least try to be. Doubt all that happens but Claxton, Melton, Olynk or Anderson would be the ones i’d focus on to improve.
I completely agree. Give him more time. People are to impatient and can’t wait anymore
OKC had two years with 20 win results and are now fighting for the top seed in the Western Conference nearing the halfway mark.
Those same years Detroit also won comparable number of games. They followed it up with 17 wins last year and then this year is looking even worse. On top of that Detroit owes a first round pick, it likely doesn’t convey as a first because they are so bad. Whereas OKC had and still has extra first round picks over multiple years.
Great comparison…
Weavers been on the job for 3 genius. Not that much longer than 2.
OKC didn’t fire their coach so their young coach who was known for developing guys. Pistons removed Casey and put Monty a “Win now” guy in so new system.
OKC has the chance to be champs with all the assets they have to trade and make the team even stronger.
Don’t be surprised if a future move in Detroit’s “culture shift” is making a move on Draymond Green. Draymond will absolutely go back to the crib. Golden State would absolutely see if they can get something out of Jaden Ivey. Rebuild coming in Golden State. Play-In team at best.
You said the same thing every year. Maybe one day you will be right?
So a pure salary dump
100% salary dump. Considering how bad weaver has been I wouldn’t be surprised if it is a pre move for another bad trade. Was playing with the machine and it now works for Bojan and Ivey for LaVine. I hate that move for Pistons. But would you really be surprised?
I mean, a smart move would be to get your FRP back from NYK for Fournier. Take on Ben Simmons for a couple FRPs and matching salaries. But it’s Detroit. Why accumulate useful assets.
Pick is protected it won’t go to Knicks this yr. Not a Monty fan. But they need some vet leaders. Look at Houston. I just wouldn’t overpay for that.
Unexpected, to say the least. But that’s a great move by the Pistons to bring in some veterans to get the young guys in line. And since Wizards are in the early stages of their rebuild this is a low risk, high reward move. Bagley is still a solid that can come off the bench and backup Avdija and Gafford, and they get 2 second rounders as well. And Livers I guess..
As a Kings fan, Bagley is not good. Saw it up close for a while, and it has continued in Detroit. He has no BBIQ, so he should fit in well in Washington.
He is also a cancer, just bad attitude.
Lol. Bagley is terrible
Great move? The only good part of this deal for Detroit is that they don’t have to pay Bagley next year. Doing it for picks was pure idiocy mind you.
Thats the reason they do it. Pure salary dump indeed.
And they could maybe get some value back for Gallinari or Muscala?
Depends on the right opportunities.
And its also better salary matching amounts than Bagley I think, given all their other salaries.
They are getting anything back for those two. They are expiring contracts to trade in another deal.
Those guys can’t be aggragated with anyone else on the roster for 2 months, so post trade deadline.
They used picks to unload Bagley. So they used picks to correct a previous mistake. Fine to do if you are competitive.
I get it’s a salary dump. That doesn’t make it smart.
No acquisition for Miles Bridges? John Collins? Cowardice GM! “
Why?
Pistons creating salary relief so they can bring in guys who can play in other trades.
Wizards are doing nothing and going nowhere so they’ll take on salary to get two second round picks for rebuild. Nobody’s coming to Washington so it’s okay that a dud takes up a 12 million dollar salary spot for next year.
Wiz lack a plan for sure.
Oh they have a plan
Right wash, to be horrible. And they thought they could flip Poole for assets LOL
They did say a plan, not a good plan.
Doesn’t seem like a smart move by Pistons just to get rid of a $12 million next year. Tells me another trade is in the works.
As the Kings previously, the Wizards probably found out they have to attach pics to dump bagley. I’m sure they’ve been trying for months.
But yes as you say probably the front end of more trades. They probably want to bring in salary and bring in some players to get this thing off the ground. So room was needed.
Does the Pistons think they can get a free agent to sign with them? They will need to over pay somebody to sign. They were already way under payroll cap for next year.
Probably Siakam, if nobody else offers him max money.
Siakam is not going to either team.
Gary, they should send some of those players to the Great Falls Electric basketball team (TBL) and their new coach… ha
I like it. Bagley’s contract for next year is gone, Tweener Livers who gets too many minutes is gone, clears out the glut with two veterans who can shoot coming in. Maybe Bagley can become something in Washington. I don’t think Washington has their first Rd pick next year. Now if I was Detroit I would waive Monte Morris then trade Wiseman and Ivey to NO for Jordan Hawkins, Larry Nance and Lewis. Then ask Bojan if he wants to stay or go, if he wants to go then trade him and Lewis to OKC for Davis Bertans, Micic and two 2nds. Start Thompson again along with Stewart. Hopefully draft Sarr at PF.
Pelicans are not trading one of their better shooters in Hawkins for that.
I like Hawkins alot. You wouldn’t want Ivey and Wiseman for Hawkins, Larry Nance and Lewis? I guess then Bojan Bogdanovic, Wiseman, Monte Morris and Ivey to Brooklyn for Ben Simmons, Cam Thomas and O’Neil with two 2nds. Sit Simmons. Thank you for responding
That Bojan trade is horrible for the Pistons. For starters, as this Bagley trade shows, Pistons are dumping salary. They’re not going to want to acquire Bertans, who is horrible but will make $16 million next year. Micic is worthless and two 2nds are not worth much.
If they’re trading Bojan, they’ll be able to get more than that package.
rct I believe Bertans contract can be waived before the season starts and I wouldn’t be guaranteed. So it is basically a salary dump but yes you would be getting Micic, a salary dump and picks back for Bojan. Bertans contract can be waived and no guarantee contract for next season
Maybe if OKC adds one of their 3 1st round picks in the draft it would make sense for Pistons. Brojan still has value and could be traded at deadline for a late round 1st round pick by himself. OKC could do the trade with a late 1st round added because how are they going to pick 3 1st round picks into next year?
I think OKC should make a trade now, Not necessarily with Detroit but I think you are right
Bertans has 5 million guaranteed for next season. Not a disaster: they can absorb it or trade Bertans in the offseason (and even guarantee a little more if needed just to make a trade work, combined with the latest salary guarantee date possible…
IKnowMore: ah, good point about Bertans. Still think they could get more for Bojan. He has good shooting splits and plays his role well.
Marvin Bagley III, 2018 nba draft first round 2nd pick selection by the Sacramento Kings in front of Luka,Trae,Shai,Mikal Bridges among others… can you believe that? I am feeling sorry for all Sacramento Fans, that was a very very Bad scouting job from Vlade Divac his coaches and scouting team.
He’s just another over drafted Duke bust joining Williams, Okafor, Parker, and Winslow as giant busts in the last 20 years.
Parker was hampered early by knee injuries, so him not reaching his potential is understandable. The others though, yikes. Bagley needed to stay in college and learn how tonactually play basketball.
He got by on athleticism at the lower levels, and athleticism evens out as you get to higher levels. He just doesn’t have the basic skills to be on an NBA court.
Parker was averaging 20 ppg in his third season when he tore his ACL. He’s a very talented offensive player but he was never an elite athlete, that held him back big time. He was never the same.
I never liked him playing PF at 6’7. The Greek freak was the SF at the time. Should of lost weight and been a SF
Drafted Georgios Papagiannis 13th and Alex Len was his biggest free agent signing. Vlade was horrible.
WHY did the Pistons give this bust $37.5m 3 yr contract in the first place????
So it can be traded.
I am shocked and embarrassed for anyone saying this was a bad trade for the Pistons! Bagley can play basketball, but not in the NBA on a wining team (which is what Detroit is aspiring to be).
Gores is going to fire Weaver after the season, but this trade has nothing to do with that.
If you have to overpay free agents to get the. To come to your team then acquiring more cap space allows you to do that for multiple free agents which will be necessary as the Pistons will lovely only have 3 or 4 players under contract when this season ends.
I think it’s a really good trade for Detroit. They should make one more trade with Ivey and Wiseman
goodbye mates
Hot take
Moose ! Is the best player in this swap
Lol
For real
It’s really two 2nds to get rid of Bagley. Probably buyout Gallo or Muscala or both if they are not spun off by the deadline. These small salaries can be moved into TPEs for nominal consideration if they want off the payments.
It’s amazing to me. That so called basketball fans. Just don’t get it. And just want to trash on a player. Just to trash. I really do understand where Hawks Homer Sankara comes from now ……
Career stats ———
Kevin Looney –
18 mins, 5.2 pts, 5.7 reb. 1.6 ast
.584 % FG, .704% FT, .169% 3PT
Hartenstein ——-
17 mins, 5.7 pts, 5.3 reb, 1.5 ast
.583% FG, .683% FT, .310% 3PT
You can look up some more if you like. Which I’m sure you won’t. It’s just easier to hate for most of you here.
No one has taken the time to teach Bagley to contribute. You don’t have to be a star just cause you were a top 5 pick. You can learn to help your team as a rotation player. It’s on the teams to help make a 19 yr old a productive player. Imo no one ever has with Bagley. They rather just make it someone else’s issue. I’ll just never understand that. I’d invest 2-3 yrs in making sure this or any player. I drafted in the 1st rd. Would be a productive player. Even if means as a backup. Not saying all players are receptive to this. But all TEAMS definitely should be.
Bagley at worst is a solid backup big. And imo he should only be playing the 4. Just a shame to see another young player get discarded. By the failures of big business.
Bagley Career stats ———-
24.1 mins, 13 pts, 7 reb, 1 ast
.512% FG, .690% FT, .289% 3PT
Just unacceptable to me ……
Blame his big mouth daddy for constantly enabling him, blaming others when on Kings and not taking accountability to be better.
Al you’re talking about Kwame brown. He was a bust as a number one pick but he did eventually become a player through hard work. Defensive big man who stayed in the league. Became a serviceable player and desirable.
Man, they wanted to dump Bagley that badly?
Cap space for next year. No idea what the plan is if even overpaying isn’t good enough, because they don’t know how to get assets for taking on busts either.
They already had the ability to have a max contract slot. This is so dumb. Weaver needs to be fired.
Common basketball knowledge that the best thing a 3-36 team can do is trade future draft picks LOL!
Obviously that same team needs 60 million in cap space. 48 million wasn’t enough. Who needs extra draft picks during a rebuild?
I must say… I find it kind of funny that with the NBA planning for a two day draft, a LOT of comments talked about how worthless second round picks are. Now, when a bottom feeding team trades two second rounders, a lot of comments talk about the foolishness of trading away future draft picks…
Lmaooo exactly. I find it hilarious
Did we ever find out which picks exactly are getting traded? I know 2025 and 2026 seconds, but wasn’t sure if they said which ones.
The Pistons only controlled one 2025 and one 2026 pick, so we do know. But they’re both quite convoluted due to most/least favorable conditions, swap rights, etc. I put the details on our trade page: link to hoopsrumors.com
OkC got their superstar cornerstone in the initial trade with the Clippers.
That’s the main reason they are performing at such a high level.