Nick Richards - Not Expendable
While it is not often that a case can be made to declare a non-starter as someone who is not expendable, that is the case when it comes to Charlotte Hornets big man Nick Richards.
Primarily coming off the bench with the Hornets, Richards has been able to provide a solid level of production over his last 77 games, a stretch that dates back to last season. Richards is averaging 8.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 18.4 minutes per game during this span. This is a noticeable uptick from the 2.4 points and 1.4 rebounds in his first 68 career games.
Having a backup center capable of stepping in and providing comparable numbers on a per 100 posessions basis as starter Mark Williams is incredibly valuable. Richards' 23.2 points and 16.3 rebounds is slightly less than the 23.5 points and 17.8 rebounds of Williams. The offensive and defensive ratings of each player are also very similar, 141 and 118 for Williams and 138 and 116 for Richards.
Being able to have the production gap be nearly identical when going from starter to backup helps maintain a level of stability when the starting lineup needs some rest. Maintaining some level of consistency between units will prove beneficial down the road when this Hornets team is in a position to push for the postseason.