Who the Charlotte Hornets should start at center is probably a question they aren't comfortable answering now. However, Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer established a case for Mason Plumlee to get the nod, saying that the Hornets' roster construction makes the veteran the optimal choice. It may sound logical, but some fans probably think otherwise.
Per Boone, Ryan Kalkbrenner can one day be a starting center, but he has to gain some experience first. He added that Moussa Diabate's undersized physique could make him a tough go against many of the league's elite big men.
The sportswriter brought up some valid points for sure.
Kalkbrenner has the skill set that could make him the ideal five to slot alongside LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and the rest of the starting crew. However, the rookie might falter under the bright lights and still has to work on his rebounding skills and ability to stay in front of quicker opponents.
Diabate has admirably displayed high motor when it comes to crashing the glass, guarding his assignments and on switches, and as a rim-runner. Unfortunately, his relative lack of height and heft could make him an easy target on defense. The Frenchman appears to have built up his strength this offseason, but we have yet to see the results of his spending time in the gym during the downtime.
Mason Plumlee already has experience starting for Hornets
Even so, should coach Charles Lee still roll with Plumlee as the starting pivot instead of granting the opportunity to the younger guys, whose odds of staying with the franchise in the long run are much longer?
Besides, it's not as if Plumlee is a game-changing talent. Moreover, his advanced age could make him as much of a defensive liability on the perimeter as Kalkbrenner and a possible offensive blackhole in the scoring department like Diabate.
What the 35-year-old journeyman has going for him, as Boone noted, is that he already knows what is needed from a placeholder in the starting lineup. He assumed that role during his first stint in Charlotte at the beginning of the 2022-23 campaign as the team waited for Mark Williams to take over. Interestingly, Plumlee nearly averaged a double-double in the first 56 contests of that season before he was traded to the LA Clippers for Reggie Jackson and a second-round pick.
Only time will tell if Boone's assessment proves accurate, but there is some sense of optimism within the Hive that the squad's supposed problem at the center position will turn out to be one of its strengths.