One Returning Hornet Destined for Increased Role (& One Whose Role Will Be Reduced)

For the most part, every single Charlotte Hornets player will see their role change this year. Whether they're going to be featured more or less, everything is different. Returning players will not function in the same role, usage, or lineups.

This can be good news for some and bad news for others. For Coby White, the reshuffled roster is good news. He's a returning player whose role will absolutely increase. The point guard, obviously, is no longer going to come off the bench with LaMelo Ball gone.

Obviously, that's a big increase in role and usage. He's going to run the offense now, and there probably won't be many two-PG lineups featured. Whenever he's on the court, even with Dennis Schröder or Christian Anderson Jr., he will be the primary engine.

That's a big change from being the sixth man. He played 19.3 minutes per game with Charlotte, down from 29.1 with the Chicago Bulls pre-trade and down from 29.3 for his entire career. He should meet and potentially exceed that average this year. Assuming he's healthy, he might play the most minutes of anyone.

Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Some players will see a reduced role, and Moussa Diabaté, unfortunately, is one of them. The center has worked tirelessly to carve out a role in the NBA and became one of the most impactful players in the sport last year.

Yet, his role is highly likely to be reduced this year. Some projections see him moving to the bench. I don't agree, at least not right off the bat, but the fact of the matter is that the Hornets have a plethora of big men. This was the primary focus of the offseason.

Last year, he was mainly competing with Ryan Kalkbrenner for minutes. Now, Naz Reid, Hannes Steinbach, Kalkbrenner, and Grant Williams are all in the mix. All of those players can and do play center, and Diabaté doesn't really shift to power forward to give him an alternative role to fill.

Not only is it feasible for Diabaté to become a bench player, but it's also feasible for his minutes to drop significantly. The Hornets will want to use him and keep everyone fresh, but that means they won't use him like they did last year, regardless of whether Steinbach supplants him in the starting lineup or not.

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