NBA news: Thunder trade Hamidou Diallo to the Pistons

Hamidou Diallo is heading from Oklahoma City to Detroit as the Thunder, and the Pistons agreed to a swap deal involving Sviatoslav Mykailiuk and a draft pick.

It’s trade time for Oklahoma City and Detroit.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Thunder have agreed to send shooting guard Hamidou Diallo to the Pistons in exchange for small forward Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and a second-round draft pick for 2027.

“Diallo will be a restricted free agent this summer and Pistons see him a core player moving forward,” Wojnarowski said in an additional tweet. “Lu Dort’s emergence made Diallo expendable, and Thunder add to massive stockpile of picks.”

ESPN’s Bobby Marks pointed out the rarity of a trade where both players earn the exact same salary of $1,663,861.

Since both will be restricted free agents after the 2020-21 season, the Thunder are getting something in return for a player they weren’t committed to — a draft pick and a player they can sign for less. The Pistons are getting a player they intend to build up for the longer term.

Hamidou Diallo has shown promise with the Thunder this season

Brooklyn drafted Diallo in 2018 in the second round before shipping him off to OKC a couple of weeks later. He has been with the Thunder ever since, starting a total of 11 games over three seasons.

While Diallo’s involvement was limited in his first two seasons, the 22-year-old out of Kentucky was coming into his own this season. He has averaged 11.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and a steal in 32 appearances. His shooting percentage from the field is 48.1. Those are all career-highs for the shooting guard.

Mykhailiuk was also a 2018 second-rounder, but he was traded to Detroit as a rookie. He played only three games in his second season but returned in 2019-20 with nine points per game while starting 27 of 56 games.

This year, Myhhailiuk has made five starts for the Pistons while averaging 6.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists.