Former Pistons Trade Acquisition Retires After 11 Seasons

Former Detroit Pistons forward calls it a career.

Feb 10, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Detroit Pistons center Mike Muscala (41) reaches in front of Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) for a rebound in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, the Detroit Pistons loaded up on players throughout the year, as they were quite active in the trade market prior to the deadline.

One month before the NBA put a cap on all trades, Detroit acquired two veteran forwards in exchange for Isaiah Livers and Marvin Bagley III. For a short stint, the Pistons employed Mike Muscala and Danilo Gallinari, who came from the Washington Wizards.

The former player will call it a career after 11 seasons in the NBA.

When Muscala joined the Pistons last year, he landed on the team following a 24-game showing in Washington. With the Pistons, Muscala started in four games and made 13 total appearances. In an average of 13 minutes per game, Muscala produced four points and two rebounds. He knocked down threes at a 38 percent clip.

Being that Muscala was a veteran player who could help contribute to a playoff contender, the Pistons managed to buy out his contract, allowing him to become a free agent. Muscala signed with a Western Conference contender, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

In what became his second stint with the Thunder, Muscala appeared in 16 games down the stretch of the 2023-2024 NBA season. He had a small role, averaging fewer than ten minutes on the court off the bench. When the Thunder reached the playoffs, Muscala stuck to the bench.

At 33 years old, Muscala calls it a career. The former second-round pick concludes his playing stint after making 548 appearances in the NBA since 2013. Throughout the first five years of his career, Muscala played for the Atlanta Hawks. After getting traded during the 2018 offseason, Muscala had stints with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The veteran joined the Thunder for the first time in 2019. He would stick in OKC for four seasons before getting traded to the Boston Celtics. The Pistons were one of three teams to have Muscala on board for his final run.

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