We get the report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:
Sources say Detroit’s second round in 2027 is heading to OKC via Houston. Diallo will be a limited free agent this summer and the Pistons consider him a key player moving forward. Lu Dort’s rise has made Diallo steady, and Thunder adds a large stock. https://t.co/6JPHL8Y5VL
– Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) 13 March 2021
Hamidou Diallo averages 11.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists a game for the Oklahoma City Thunder this season, but has not played a game since February 24 due to a groin pain. Svi Mykhailiuk averaged 6.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists a game for the Pistons, and was only 33% from three this season.
Shark! We have our first case of Troy Weaver TRADING for one of ‘his guys’. Diallo was technically drafted by the Brooklyn Nets, but ended up in Oklahoma City after a few post-draft deals. When we talked about Troy Weaver Guys in preseason, Diallo was an excellent example – a raw, explosive athlete with great physical tools (6’5 with a wing span of 6’11) who also had great concerns about his shooting ability. Three years into his career, the shooting questions continue – Diallo has never shot a full season better than 30% of three – but he has nevertheless identified a role for himself in the NBA.
Svi Mykhailiuk, in turn, never had the shooting season, and I personally expected him to start this year. Svi’s bankable NBA skill was his shooting, which apparently left him (for the time being), which is why he’s in Detroit. Svi was a cheap gamble for the Pistons (the Pistons chose a second round, in addition to Svi in the Reggie Bullock deal), which was transferred to another cheap gamble.
Other quick thoughts on trading:
- By picking up another second round (awarded, a very distant future second), Troy continues his contempt for red paper cut through a grid.
- Sekou Doumbouya is now the Detroit Piston who has the longest, and you can forgive him for looking around nervously and pulling at his collar
- This is probably only the first (non-Derrick Rose) commercial domino to fall in Detroit – I still expect to see Wayne Ellington at least on a flight from Detroit before the March 25 deadline.
- As Woj points out, Diallo will be a limited free agent during the season. This perhaps answers the question of what exactly Troy Weaver is going to do with the hood he may have had in the off-season.
It’s almost like that. I’m a little sad to see Svi go – I really liked the player he was last year, but he was not this guy under a new front office this year, and that’s all that is needed.
What do you all think of the trade? Sounds down in the comments!