Top 5 landing spots for Hamidou Diallo
A majority of this year’s top NBA free agents have already been signed, but there could still be value to be found among the remaining free agents.
This is the time of year when there are usually plenty of proven veterans available that can play key roles on contending teams. There are typically also numerous young players available looking for another chance to prove themselves.
One of those players this year is Detroit Pistons wing Hamidou Diallo.
Most NBA fans remember him for winning the 2019 NBA Slam Dunk Contest during his time with the OKC Thunder. However, the soon-to-be 25-year-old has also shown promise as an athletic slasher and defender over his first five seasons.
Diallo led the Pistons’ regular rotation players in on/off court defensive rating last season. Detroit’s defensive rating was 109.5 with him on the floor and a team-worst 119.6 with him on the bench.
However, he still can’t space the floor as he shot just 23.8% from deep on just 0.4 attempts per game last season. This makes him a player who only fits certain rosters. He has shown flashes of improved shooting from mid-range, though,. Per Bleacher Report, Diallo “downed 48.5% of his mid-range jumpers from Dec. 31 onward.”
Overall, Diallo averaged 9.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.9 steals per game on 57.3% shooting over 56 games last season. He did so in just 17.8 minutes per game. So, between his athleticism and upside, there should be some teams willing to take a chance on the Pistons wing.
On that note, here are five teams that could make sense as landing spots for Hamidou Diallo.
#5 Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics have two of the better wing players in the NBA in stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. However, outside of those two, Boston lacks reliable wing depth. The Celtics could be relying on unproven players such as Oshae Brissett, Sam Hauser and rookie Jordan Walsh off the bench next season.
Signing Hamidou Diallo to provide some extra energy and defense at the shooting guard and small forward spots could make sense for Boston. Plus, the Celtics finished sixth in team 3-point shooting percentage last season (37.7%), so they could compensate for Diallo’s lack of shooting.
#4 Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks have two elite offensive stars in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. However, that wasn’t enough to offset their poor team defense. Dallas finished sixth in team offensive rating last season (115.9) but just 25th in defensive rating (116.1).
Hamidou Diallo could offer the Mavericks another versatile defender at a discount. Meanwhile, like the Celtics, the Mavs could afford to make up for Diallo’s poor shooting as the team shot 37.1% from deep last season (eighth in the NBA).
#3 Sacramento Kings
Like the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings had an elite offense and a very poor defense last season.
The Kings led the NBA in team offensive rating (118.6) while shooting 36.9% from 3-point range (ninth in the league). However, they ranked just 24th in defensive rating (116.0).
Hamidou Diallo may not be able to space the floor in Sacramento’s fast-paced offense. However, he would likely be able to thrive as a slasher playing off of Kings star big man Domantas Sabonis. He could also provide Sacramento with an extra wing defender off the bench.
#2 Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers have lost a majority of their depth in recent times.
The team traded defensive wing Matisse Thybulle to the Portland Trail Blazers last season. The three-team deal landed them former Charlotte Hornets forward Jalen McDaniels. However, they then lost McDaniels to the Toronto Raptors in free agency.
The Sixers have also lost forward Georges Niang and guard Shake Milton to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves respectively.
At this point, Philly could be looking to accumulate as much talent as possible to make up for the departure of their role players in free agency. Considering that they led the NBA in team 3-point shooting percentage last season (38.7%), the team makes sense as a potential landing spot for Hamidou Diallo.
#1 Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are fresh off their 2023 NBA title and were able to keep most of their playoff rotation players. However, they lost versatile wing Bruce Brown to the Indiana Pacers and veteran forward Jeff Green to the Houston Rockets.
Meanwhile, Denver’s only noteworthy free agent signing was Dallas Mavericks veteran wing Justin Holiday, who is more of a 3-and-D player.
Hamidou Diallo would be able to replace some of Brown’s slashing ability and could thrive playing off of Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic. Like every other team on this list, Denver was also a top 3-point shooting team last season (37.9%, fourth in the league). So the Nuggets could space the floor around Diallo.
Given their current roster, the reigning champions would likely provide Hamidou Diallo with the best opportunity to make a name for himself on a contender.
Also read: Top 5 landing spots for Hornets star Kelly Oubre Jr.