The NBA was rocked with another physical altercation in Detroit as Pistons guard Killian Hayes and the Orlando Magic center Moe Wagner were the central figures in what turned into a violent encounter on Wednesday night. They didn't mess around with the punishments issued.
Killian Hayes drew the most severe penalty with a three-game suspension while Moe Wagner was slapped with a two-game suspension. Alongside them, nine other players were suspended for one game due to their peripheral involvement.
Pistons wing Hamidou Diallo, who was the third man ejected from Wednesday's contest, drew a suspension after he shoved Wagner from behind. Eight Magic players were punished as well for leaving the bench area as announced by NBA Executive Vice President and Pistons icon Joe Dumars, via ESPN's Tim Bontemps:
The NBA announces the many suspensions from last night’s incident in Detroit, led by Killian Hayes getting three games and Mo Wagner getting two. pic.twitter.com/tSAf7YV9NG
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) December 30, 2022
The NBA won't tolerate this kind of behavior and the swift punishment shows it. With a huge emphasis on flagrant fouls in today's NBA, it's expected that heated altercations that escalate such as the one between Killian Hayes and Moe Wagner draw an instant response from the league.
The Magic will feel the brunt of the punishment as several of their top players in Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr., and Cole Anthony will all presumably miss their next game against the Washington Wizards on Friday.
The Pistons are already shorthanded in the backcourt without lead guard Cade Cunningham. Losing starter Hayes and backup Diallo further depletes their roster. But with Detroit in the driver's seat in the race to the bottom for Victor Wembanyama, it might not be a huge concern.
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