The Pistons are keeping the band together — mostly.
But it’s going to come at a cost.
The Pistons agreed to a two-year deal with wing Hamidou Diallo on Thursday, a league source confirmed to The Detroit News.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who first reported the agreement, it’s a two-year deal worth $10.4 million.
Diallo became a restricted free agent after the Pistons made a qualifying offer of $2.1 million to him this summer. The Pistons traded for Diallo at the deadline last season in a deal involving Svi Mykhailiuk and a draft pick.
Pistons general manager Troy Weaver had some history with Diallo when the two were in Oklahoma City, where Diallo spent the first two years of his career. Weaver saw Diallo as an asset, and made the deal, presumably to bring Diallo to Detroit for the longer term.
A two-year deal is reasonable, because it allows the Pistons to get a longer look at how he’ll fit with their young core, and to try to build a winning roster from their young players. Diallo is just 23 and had a good stint with the Pistons, posting 11.2 points and 5.4 rebounds and shooting 39% on 3-pointers in 20 games.
There was some thought that Diallo might command a more lucrative offer from another team in free agency, but with most teams spending their money early in the process, there weren’t many teams with enough available to offer Diallo a bigger deal.
The deal means the Pistons have 15 guaranteed contracts for next season, one over the roster maximum, so they will need to make a trade or waive a player to make room on the roster.
rod.beard@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @detnewsRodBeard