Exclusive | LA Clippers Beat Reporter Gives The Inside Scoop on Hornets' Moussa Diabate

Diabate recently signed a two-way contract with the Hornets

Apr 8, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; LA Clippers forward Moussa Diabate (25) celebrates with forward Robert Covington (23), guard Brandon Boston Jr. (4) and other teammates against the Portland Trail Blazers during the fourth quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports / Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports

The Charlotte Hornets recently signed unrestricted free agent Moussa Diabate to a two-way contract. I reached out to NBA Insider and LA Clippers beat report Law Murray to find out more about Diabate, to find out about his strengths, weaknesses and why the Clippers decided to move on from him. Read on to see what Law had to say about Moussa Diabate.

1. Strengths

" He understands that playing hard is a skill. Decent finisher. Chases rebounds. Defends well without fouling. Does a good job taking care of the basketball and not playing out of control. Wants to master the Dribble Hand-Off game. Versatile and active defensively. Showed improved ability to make free throws at summer league this year (92%)."

2. Weaknesses

"He has limited skill set offensively. Has tried to show range over his time with LA but he's not a shooter. Undersized for center (6'10.25 in shoes), very thin (210 lb). Gets blocked too often in the restricted area. Wasn’t ready to contribute when Mason Plumlee was injured last November, expediting the Daniel Theis signing. A broken hand prevented another opportunity to play when Ivica Zubac was injured in January."

3. Why It Didn't Work Out In LA

"The Clippers essentially replaced Diabate as a developmental center by signing former Hornet Kai Jones. While Jones is bigger, more athletics and has a higher ceiling, he has also demonstrated a lower floor, so there’s not room for two of those players in camp)."

4. Conclusion

"Moussa is a student of the game and badly wants to make it as an NBA player. Mature and knows he needs reps on and off the floor. Needs to be durable and stay on floor. Simply didn’t give Clippers a reason to keep him over other options, but had a strong summer league and is a good flier for Hornets, especially on a 2-way."

Read more about the Charlotte Hornets:

Why the Hornets' Future Shines Brighter than the Lakers

Why the Hornets Will Be A Must Watch Team on League Pass in 2024-25

Behind the Scenes: Hornets GM Sifts Through Options in NBA Draft