Opinion: Hamidou Diallo's Time in Detroit Should Be Nearing An End

It has been a rough season for the prior Slam Dunk Champion and University of Kentucky product. Any minutes he receives coming off the bench are a prime opportunity to prove his worth next to a veteran Cory Joseph, developing Killian Hayes, and returning Alec Burks. Unfortunately for him and the team, he has yet to capitalize on these minutes and prove that he deserves his roster spot. Diallo's year six campaign has been an eyesore - his dunk attempts have gotten blocked, dishes intercepted, and three-point attempts left short - even hitting the top of the backboard.

In seasons prior, Diallo leveraged his quick first step, incredible athleticism, and above-the-rim acrobatics to provide bursts of scoring and energy on and off the starting lineup. His flashy downhill speed and aggressive, highlight-reel dunks were his primary strengths and assets to his team. Though he always lacked a reliable jump shot, his numbers this season have been horrifying. In 11 games played, Diallo is averaging 40.4% from the field, down from 49.6% last season. Though his minutes have reduced significantly, he now averages 5.2 PPG and has an AST/TO ratio of 1.1 - not to mention his 0.0 3P%. His scoring impact is little to none, and his ability to make plays and rack up assists equals his careless loss of possessions. 

To top it off, his Player Efficiency Rating(PER) has decreased dramatically from 15.77 to an unfortunate 11.08. For reference, the league average PER is approximately 15.00, which comes to show how his average impact is now far less than mediocre. 

Hamidou served his purpose for two years on this young Pistons roster. As the 22-23 season is the last season on his contract before he becomes an unrestricted free agent, it is increasingly likely that the Pistons will part ways with him shortly. In addition, when Alec Burks returns from injury, Diallo's minutes, and role, will be further reduced to compensate. Troy Weaver may look to trade Diallo at the deadline as an expiring contract; however, his trade value seems to decline the more he sees the floor. Regardless, Diallo is still a decent player who may find more success and opportunity on a different roster.