The Hornets have promoted two-way player Moussa Diabate to a standard contract, the team announced in a press release. Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link) was the first to report the deal, and sources tell him it will cover three seasons.
The 23-year-old center signed with Charlotte last summer after spending his first two NBA seasons with the Clippers. He has made such an impact that the Hornets traded away centers Nick Richards and Mark Williams over the past month, although the Williams deal with the Lakers was rescinded Saturday night.
Diabate moved into the starting lineup for Friday’s game against San Antonio, producing nine points and 15 rebounds in 33 minutes. It’s uncertain if he’ll keep that role with Williams returning to Charlotte.
The Hornets are using a portion of their room exception to complete the signing, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). Charlotte used that exception to acquire three players (DaQuan Jeffries, Charlie Brown Jr., and Duane Washington) from the Knicks in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade in the fall, but still had enough of it left over to accommodate a deal for Diabate.
While Charlotte currently has 15 players on its roster, one of them is Elfrid Payton, who signed a 10-day contract on Friday under the hardship exception. That means no corresponding move will be needed to add Diabate to the regular roster, and the Hornets will have until March 4 to fill their two-way opening.
Diabate has appeared in 42 games this season, averaging 4.7 points and 7.1 rebounds in 19 minutes per night while shooting 59.4% from the field. He was selected with the 43rd pick in the 2022 draft after playing one season at Michigan.
Diabate was a two-way player in both of his seasons with the Clippers, so this marks his first standard contract.
It’s about time. Honestly they should start him at PF. Start Bridges at SF for now until Miller comes back then trade Bridges for whatever you can so you can get a fresh start
Bridges is the most durable and consistent player of the hornets for the last couple of years please.
Right over your head and what is wrong with you for liking Bridges so much? You must have the same behavior and act the same which is why you stand up for him.
Try reading next time before you comment. Read it again and you might understand. Fresh start……. Please
They need to clear the trash off the team so they can sell more tickets and be a family friendly organisation…
No mother should be willing to take their kids to a Hornets game until the trash has been taken to the curb…
Nice move but weird having Mark back lol
Eat too much Moussa, get Diabates
This is how you win the copper Flagg sweepstakes!