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Pistons trade Marvin Bagley III and Isaiah Livers to Wizards for Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala

The Washington Wizards yesterday acquired forward/center Marvin Bagley III and forward Isaiah Livers along with second round draft picks in 2025 and 2026 in a trade with the Detroit Pistons in exchange for forward Danilo Gallinari and forward/center Mike Muscala.

“Marvin and Isaiah are young players with positional size, high character and a competitive nature who will have the opportunity to further their development within our system and build on the positives we’ve seen from them,” said Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins. “We are excited to welcome them while also adding draft picks, allowing us to enhance our current roster and continue to position ourselves for the future.”

Bagley III (6-11, 235) holds career averages of 12.9 points and 6.9 rebounds while shooting .512 from the floor in 234 games between Detroit and Sacramento. He has posted 10.2 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting .591 in 26 games (10 starts) with the Pistons this season. Bagley III was selected second overall by the Kings in the 2018 NBA Draft and went on to earn 2018-19 All-Rookie First Team honors after averaging 14.9 points and 7.6 rebounds in his first season. He was acquired by the Pistons via trade on Feb. 10, 2022.

Livers (6-7, 230) has compiled career averages of 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds in 94 games with the Pistons. He has averaged 5.0 points and 2.1 rebounds in 23 games (six starts) this season. Livers was selected 42nd overall by the Pistons in the 2021 NBA Draft.

“Danilo and Mike lived up to their well-established reputations as true professionals while providing meaningful contributions on the court during their time with us,” said Dawkins. “We’re appreciative that our young players were able to learn from them and we wish them the best moving forward.”

Gallinari, 6-10, 233, is in his 14th NBA season. In 754 career NBA games, he’s averaged 15.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists with New York, Denver, L.A. Clippers, Oklahoma City, Atlanta and Washington. He was drafted sixth overall in the 2008 NBA draft. He’s averaged 15-plus points in seven seasons including a career-high 19.8 points with the Clippers in 2018-19.

A native of Italy, Gallinari began his professional career in Italy and was named Euroleague’s Rising Star in 2007-08. As a member of the U-18 National Team, he helped to lead Italy to a bronze medal at the 2005 U-18 European Championships.

Muscala, 6-10, 240, is a 10-year NBA veteran. He was drafted 44th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks and traded to the Atlanta Hawks as part of a draft-night deal. In 519 career NBA games, he’s averaged 6.1 points and 3.2 rebounds with Atlanta, Philadelphia, L.A. Lakers, Oklahoma City, Boston and Washington.

The St. Louis Park, Minn., native played four seasons collegiately at Bucknell University where he was named 2011 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Player of the Year following an NCAA tournament appearance. In addition, he was named First Team All-Patriot League and AP All-American Honorable Mention in 2010–2011.

Wizards sign Hamidou Diallo to 10-day contract

The Washington Wizards have signed guard Hamidou Diallo to a 10-day contract.

Diallo (6-5, 202) joins Washington after beginning the year with the Capital City Go-Go (the Wizards’ NBA G League affiliate), where he has averaged 18.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting .521 from the field in 20 total (showcase + regular season) games (16 starts). The Kentucky product has scored in double figures on 18 occasions for the Go-Go and totaled a season-high 30 points (12-17 FG) to go along with eight assists and six rebounds on Nov. 27 at Raptors 905.

The five-year pro has appeared in 263 career games (44 starts) for the Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City Thunder, holding averages of 8.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per game on .495 percent shooting from the field.

A native of Queens, New York, Diallo was selected by Brooklyn with the 45th overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft.

Lakers sign Skylar Mays to two-way contract

The Los Angeles Lakers yesterday signed guard Skylar Mays to a two-way contract.

Mays (6’4”, 205) joins the Lakers from the Portland Trail Blazers, where he appeared in 21 games (five starts) this season, averaging 6.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 17.0 minutes. In three-plus campaigns with Portland (2022-24) and Atlanta (2020-22), the Louisiana native has played in 88 career NBA contests (16 starts) and averaged 4.9 points, 1.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 11.8 minutes. Competing in the NBA G League with Mexico City (2022-23), Delaware (2022-23) and College Park (2021-22), Mays owns career averages of 14.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 27.8 minutes per game in 30 total contests (15 starts).

The 26-year-old was selected with the 50th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Hawks following four collegiate seasons (2016-20) at LSU. Mays was named First-Team All-SEC as a senior and Second-Team All-SEC as a junior with the Tigers.

Mays will wear jersey No. 4 for the purple and gold.

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery

The Memphis Grizzlies yesterday announced the following medical update for guard Ja Morant:

At Saturday’s training session, Morant suffered a subluxation of his right shoulder. Following ongoing soreness and instability, Morant underwent an MRI that revealed an underlying labral tear.

Morant will undergo season-ending surgery and is expected to make a full recovery ahead of the 2024-25 season.

Warriors guard Chris Paul out with hand injury

A rocky Warriors season continues to face new challenges.

Via the San Jose Mercury News:

Chris Paul will have surgery next week to repair a fracture in his left hand and is expected to be out four-to-six weeks after the operation, according to multiple reports.

Paul, 38, fractured his left hand in a collision with Detroit’s Jaden Ivey during Friday’s game against the Pistons. Paul has now had 11 hand injuries in his 19-year career, five to his non-shooting hand and six to his right.

At 17-18, the Warriors have the 10th best record in the Western Conference.

Lakers sign Dylan Windler to two-way contract

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard/forward Dylan Windler to a two-way contract.

Windler (6’7”, 196) most recently suited up for the Westchester Knicks of the NBA G League, appearing in 13 games this season (all starts) and averaging 13.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 28.9 minutes. On Jan. 5 versus Delaware, Windler set an NBA G League single-game record with 33 rebounds to go along with 23 points, two assists and one steal. The 27-year-old has appeared in 26 career NBA G League games (15 starts) across four seasons (2019-24), averaging 13.3 points on 37.8 percent shooting from long distance, to go with 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 27.8 minutes.

The Indianapolis native has appeared in 87 career NBA games across four seasons with New York (2023-24) and Cleveland (2020-23), registering averages of 3.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 11.4 minutes. Windler was selected No. 26 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Cavaliers following four collegiate seasons at Belmont University.

Windler will wear jersey No. 20 for the purple and gold.

Lakers waive Alex Fudge and D’Moi Hodge

The Los Angeles Lakers have waived two-way forward Alex Fudge and two-way guard D’Moi Hodge.

Fudge signed with the Lakers on July 26, 2023, and appeared in four regular season games for Los Angeles, averaging 1.0 points in 3.6 minutes. The 20-year-old played in 10 NBA G League games (two starts) with the South Bay Lakers this season, posting averages of 8.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.6 blocks in 18.7 minutes.

Hodge signed with the Lakers on July 3, 2023, and appeared in seven regular season contests this season for the purple and gold, averaging 2.0 points in 5.9 minutes. The British Virgin Islands native saw action in 16 games this season for South Bay, recording averages of 11.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.4 steals in 22.6 minutes.

Bulls face big roster decisions over the next month

The Chicago Bulls have some big decisions to make in the fairly near future, and there are no easy answers or obvious suggestions as to what those decisions should be.

Via the Sun-Times:

There are 15 games left before the Feb. 8 trade deadline comes and goes, and the part of the schedule that softens up for this team.

Two games with Charlotte in that span, a couple of tussles with Toronto and Memphis, the slumping Lakers, San Antonio, Portland … realistically there could be eight to nine more wins to cash in on before final decisions have to be made on the trade front.

The danger becomes what if the Bulls front office again decides to chase fool’s gold?

Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley have done it before, opting to err on the side of “continuity” both at the trade deadline last year and again over the summer.

Would they jump back into those murky waters for a team that was suddenly 25-27 sitting in a solid play-in spot?

Hopefully lessons have been learned.

This is where it gets tricky, however.

The Bulls are 16-21, which is the 10th best record in the Eastern Conference. Their defense has been solid this season, but their offense has been one of the least efficient in the league.