The NBA has handed down punishments for the altercation that took place between players on the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. In all a whopping 11 players were suspended -- two Pistons players and nine players from Orlando, the league announced on Thursday night.
Pistons guard Killian Hayes was hit with the harshest punishment -- a three-game suspension without pay, while Orlando center Moe Wagner was suspended for two games without pay and Hamidou Diallo was suspended for one game without pay. Additionally, eight Magic players were suspended for one game for leaving the bench area during the altercation. Those players are Cole Anthony, R.J. Hampton, Gary Harris, Kevon Harris, Franz Wagner, Admiral Schofield, Wendell Carter Jr. and Mo Bamba. The suspensions for those eight Orlando players will be spread over the team's next two games.
The incident occured just before halftime of the contest between Detroit and Orlando. With just over 30 seconds remaining, Hayes and Wagner were chasing a loose ball in the backcourt. As the ball was about to roll out of play, Wagner shoved Hayes in the back, sending the Pistons' guard tumbling into the bench. Diallo raced in and shoved Wagner in the back, then Hayes popped up and punched Wagner in the back of the head.
A massive scrum ensued involving players and coaches from both teams, as well as referees and security personnel. Thankfully, the incident did not get completely out of hand despite the fact that players from the Magic bench ran the full length of the floor to get involved.
You can see the events unfold below:
Tempers flare in Detroit after an altercation between Moe Wagner and Killian Hayes.@OrlandoMagic | #MagicTogether pic.twitter.com/ig6lYrdju8
— Bally Sports Florida & Bally Sports Sun (@BallySportsFL) December 29, 2022
Wagner, Hayes and Diallo were were all ejected for their roles in the situation. At the time, Pistons head coach Dwane Casey was upset that Magic did not have more players ejected for leaving the bench.
"My understanding of the rule is the fact that when you leave the bench and you're escalating -- words being said, things being said by their players and coaches that were not de-escalating the situation," Casey said. "The official, to his credit said he didn't hear it. OK I understand that. But for them to not have anyone ejected, I gotta go back and get an explanation. My understanding is when you leave the bench and get in a fray like that, that's how bad things start, really bad things start. It could have been worse. I didn't feel like they were de-escalating the situation."
