Wizards Sign Former Detroit Pistons Rotation Piece

He was once viewed as a potentially significant part of the Detroit Pistons future, but over the previous season he found himself being slowly squeezed out of the rotation, and the future in the Motor City. Now, free agent swingman Hamidou Diallo has signed on with the Washington Wizards.

The Washington Wizards have signed guard Hamidou Diallo to a 10-day contract.

— Inside Hoops (@InsideHoops) January 9, 2024

The 6'5" guard/forward has signed a 10-day contract in DC, after they had signed and waived him back in training camp. 

After coming over to the Pistons from the Oklahoma City Thunder at the trade deadline in 2021, Diallo established himself as a strong rotation player in Detroit, who re-signed him to a 2-year, $10.4 million deal that offseason. He put up 11 points per game and five boards in about 21 minutes of action a night in his first season+ with the team, but in 2022-23, as the Pistons added more top draft picks to the mix, his role diminished, and he fell out of favor. 

After the Wiz waived him before this season, he went down to their G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, where he was having a nice season, proving his talent, averaging 18.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 20 games. That performance was enough to win him at least a 10-day trial in Washington.

Diallo was the second-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Thunder, where he spent his first two+ seasons in the Association, with limited success. They dealt him to Detroit in the middle of his third season. 

In 263 career games he's averaged 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 49 percent shooting.

Photo: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports