Charlotte Hornets rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner was finally able to demonstrate his potential, putting up a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double with 7-7 shooting against the Dallas Mavericks. Not to rain on his parade, but his performance on Sunday — and the preseason so far — have not really allayed the fears that he might not be playable on some nights once the regular season begins.
The Hornets' first two preseason games, both against the Oklahoma City Thunder, saw Kalkbrenner struggle to impress folks around the league despite averaging 9.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per contest. His defense, particularly at the perimeter, induced plenty of criticism. When matched up against Jaylin Williams, his lack of mobility was pretty evident.
There's really no question about his ceiling as a rim protector. However, with many centers nowadays able to shoot from the outside or attack the paint, being slow-footed can make a big man a defensive liability.
Against the Mavs, Kalkbrenner finally got to showcase his potential value to Charlotte because his primary matchups were fellow paint-bound fives, specifically Dereck Lively II. The Creighton University product managed to finish with a plus/minus of +24, which was second only to LaMelo Ball's game-high +27. To be fair, he did hold his own against the much-heralded Cooper Flagg, locking up the 2025 draft No. 1 pick early in the second quarter.
However, it's just tough to envision Kalkbrenner being a boon to the Hornets when they face opponents with mobile bigs. That's where Moussa Diabate has thrived, thanks to his agility and motor. It remains to be seen if Diabate has improved his strength enough to be able to cover brawnier matchups.
Hornets' presumed center rotation plan might be less than ideal
So, Charles Lee's likely recourse to make up for Charlotte's questionable depth at center is to use Kalkbrenner when the team goes against a foe with more traditional bigs. On the other hand, Diabate will likely get the call if the opponent can field a five-out unit.
It's worth noting that it's still unclear if Lee plans on playing Kalkbrenner that much during his rookie year. Aside from his relative inexperience despite being a 23-year-old rookie, finding minutes for him might be difficult as Mason Plumlee also figures to be a significant member of the rotation, especially during the earlier parts of the 2025-26 season.
The fact that some pundits do not have that bright an outlook for the Hornets in this campaign due to their conundrum at center may not be surprising at all. Hopefully, though, Kalkbrenner — and Diabate, for that matter — can progress quickly enough to become an impactful player for the Hive.