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Could a position change be in the works for Moussa Diabate?

With a logjam at center, Charlotte could look to move Diabate.
Schuyler Callihan|
Jan 29, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14) with a dunk against Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams (8) during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Jan 29, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14) with a dunk against Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams (8) during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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Charlotte Hornets

Unless the Charlotte Hornets strike up some good luck and secure the No. 1 overall pick, there's a good chance Moussa Diabate will make a full-time transition to power forward for the 2025-26 season.

Following the rescinded trade between Charlotte and Los Angeles, it created quite a logjam at center with Mark Williams, Jusuf Nurkic, and Diabate. The Hornets may look into moving Williams again this summer, but if they choose not to, the logjam will continue. Jusuf Nurkic is unlikely to be dealt because very few teams will be willing to take on his salary, and in a salary-matching scenario, draft capital would almost certainly need to be a part of the package.

Assuming the Hornets don't "Capture the Flagg," Diabate could move to the four and give the Hornets more size and defense at that position. Miles Bridges, despite his past off-court issues, may be easier to move than Nurkic because his production matches up with his salary. It would be a little risky to move on from Bridges completely and rely on Diabate to be the guy, but improving on the glass and in the paint defensively is a must.

As the season moved along, Diabate improved on the offensive end of the floor. He's probably never going to be a 20-point-per-game guy, but he can help make up for it by saving a few baskets on defense. With Williams and Nurkic on the roster, Diabate did see some time at the four toward the end of the season, so making the switch won't be completely foreign to him.

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Schuyler Callihan is the publisher of West Virginia On SI and has been a trusted source covering the Mountaineers since 2016. He is the host of Between The Eers, The Walk Thru Game Day Show, and In the Gun Podcast. The Wheeling, WV native moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2020 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers.

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