The center position for the Charlotte Hornets looked like it might collapse the moment Ryan Kalkbrenner went down. Instead, the opposite unfolded. His absence opened the door for Moussa Diabate to step into the spotlight.
I expected the Hornets to lose a defensive anchor without Kalkbrenner patrolling the paint, but Diabate and PJ Hall have filled that void with surprising ease. Moose, in particular, has emerged as one of Charlotte’s most impactful players on both ends of the floor.
At this point, his value is impossible to ignore as he has become the Hornets' glue guy.
Smothering defense
The Hornets are a better team with Diabate on the court. If you watched the Hornets destroy the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road Monday night, then you saw how effective Moussa was on defense. In a combined effort with Sion James, they held Shal Gilgeous-Alexander, the league's No. 2 scorer and reigning MVP, to 7-21 shooting from the field for 21 points.
Charles Lee places a premium on defense, and in today’s NBA where offenses constantly hunt mismatches through screens, that versatility is invaluable. Diabate has just shown he has the ability to adapt and defend multiple positions. Holding his own against one of the league’s elite scorers while avoiding a single foul all night is a feat on its own. There's a reason why the Moose has a positive plus/minus on the season.
Maximizing possessions
Moussa is an offensive rebounding machine, and he's one of the best in the league at it. Getting another chance to score after a missed shot is music to my ears. Diabate is averaging 3.8 offensive rebounds per game, which is ranked 8th in the league. He's doing this while only averaging 23.4 minutes per contest.
Diving into it even deeper, according to TipOff stats, Diabate averages 6.0 offensive rebounds per 75 possessions, which is better than 97 percent of the entire NBA. These second-chance opportunities not only help keep the offense generating points, but also force defenses to play at his tempo. It's clear he's going to out-hustle most players every time he steps on the floor.
Having an offensive rebounding specialist who can also play competent defense is exactly what this team needs. Jeff Peterson sought out Diabate when he was in the G League playing with the Ontario Clippers (now known as the San Diego Clippers), seeing a high‑motor big who just needed the right opportunity. It's truly amazing to see how far he's come.
Since he's been in Charlotte, Diabate has proven Peterson right. His energy on defense shifts possessions, and his relentlessness on the glass gives Charlotte extra chances the team simply wasn’t generating before. That’s the kind of impact contenders chase, and it’s clear now that Diabate has earned himself a place in Charlotte's long-term plans.