BY AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
WASHINGTON (AFP) — Italian forward Danilo Gallinari and US center Mike Muscala were traded from the Washington Wizards to the NBA-worst Detroit Pistons on Saturday, Jan. 13, for forwards Isaiah Livers and Marvin Bagley III.
The Wizards, second-worst in the Eastern Conference at 7-31 just ahead of Detroit (3-36), also landed second-round NBA Draft picks in 2025 and 2026 in the deal between struggling squads.
The Pistons add experience and save $12.5 million off next year’s salary cap for Bagley while the three other players are in the last year of their contracts.
The 35-year-old Gallinari has averaged 15.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists over 754 career games in 14 NBA seasons with New York, Denver, the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City, Atlanta and Washington.
Muscala, a 10-year NBA veteran, has averaged 6.1 points and 3.2 rebounds over 519 career games with Atlanta, Philadelphia, the Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City, Boston and Washington.
Both came to the Wizards in a three-team deal last July that sent center Kristaps Porzingis to Boston.
“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,” Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said. “We’re appreciative that our young players were able to learn from them.”
Bagley, the second overall pick by Sacramento in the 2018 NBA Draft, has averaged 12.9 points and 6.9 rebounds over 234 NBA games with Sacramento and Detroit. He has averaged 10.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 26 games this season.
Livers has averaged 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds in 94 career games with the Pistons, including 5.0 points and 2.1 rebounds a game for Detroit this season.
“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,” Dawkins said.
