Moose On The Loose: The Moussa Diabate Thread

[yosemiteben]

Definitely agree he needs to work on his offense and also agree that it might change if we play him big minutes, but last season we were 3.3 points points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor compared to off it (https://www.cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/5132/onoff#tab-team_efficiency). Tough to make much of that given the discombobulated nature of our rotation last season, but definitely something to track this season.

[fatlever]

sustaining his chaotic energy for 82 games, 35 mpg is basically impossible

also on the flip side of that coin, can an offense survive 82 games, 35 mpg of playing 4-on-5?

Moose needs a lot of work offensively before he's a viable starter, unless his defense/rebounding becomes so otherworldly that he's swinging games on that alone

i dont think he tanks an offense, at least not in regular season. he wont uplift an offense, but he's not biz levels bad. he has great hands, can actually put the ball on the floor (he showed improvement during year with this part - had several euro step finishes), he is a lob threat, despite not having mark's length, good finisher in traffic. always goes up strong.
he needs to improve his ft% or else he'll get hacked down low. needs to improve decision making in the short roll. bonus - would be 3pt. doubtful.

with melo/mann, miller, sexton/kon, miles - we just need someone to not tank the offensive spacing and hold down defense. we have enough scorers. if we lose 4 of our top 6 scorers like last year, then it becomes an issue.

my bigger concern is kalk/mason running with 2nd team.

if we stay healthy, our offense should cook, regardless, unless lee puts on the handcuffs again.

defense is our main problem

when the right center becomes available, i hope jpete moves swiftly, whether thats now, at deadline, or next summer. its the last piece, other than health... to at least be a 6-10 seed next few years. anything above that needs melo/miller hitting their top outcomes.

[JDR720]

Hardly any team plays their starting center more than 30mpg anymore, unless they're a Jokic type.

Moose is going to play 22-25mpg this season, the rest will be Plum and Grant and maybe Kalk replaces Plum later in the season.

And I really do believe he can average 10/10 in those 25mins. In February, he averaged 9.4pts and 7.6rebs in 20mins. I see no real reason he can't average the same stats Claxton does.

[fatlever]

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[fatlever]

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[HornetJail]

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part of my insistence on trying to get Vucevic relatively cheap, is because I really want to utilize Moose's defensive versatility as a stretch 4

[Walt Cronkite]

I know I'm a dumbass homer, but is Vucevic not a plodding big like Kaulkbrenner? Sure he's 34 and a more known commodity which will make him more likely to chase a ring than sign with a bottomfeeder, thus inevitably drawing ire from part of the fanbase when he spurns the Hornets nonexistent advances to pursue a better fit... but I mean, what is the obsession with Vucevic?

[HornetJail]

I know I'm a dumbass homer, but is Vucevic not a plodding big like Kaulkbrenner? Sure he's 34 and a more known commodity which will make him more likely to chase a ring than sign with a bottomfeeder, thus inevitably drawing ire from part of the fanbase when he spurns the Hornets nonexistent advances to pursue a better fit... but I mean, what is the obsession with Vucevic?

tell you what, if Kalkbrenner can give us 18/10 (or the per 36 min equivalent based on how many minutes he plays) while being a big man you can throw the ball to in the post for a bucket, hit almost 1.5 3s a game to stretch the floor, and pass at a decent to good level... I will take back everything bad I've ever said about Jeff Peterson, and our center rotation this summer.

For the record, I like the swing on Kalkbrenner, and think there's a high floor on his archetype. I hope he can give us backup minutes off the bat.

[JDR720]

Vuc isn't a positive impact player, for whatever he does on offense, he gives away on defense.

[Walt Cronkite]

I know I'm a dumbass homer, but is Vucevic not a plodding big like Kaulkbrenner? Sure he's 34 and a more known commodity which will make him more likely to chase a ring than sign with a bottomfeeder, thus inevitably drawing ire from part of the fanbase when he spurns the Hornets nonexistent advances to pursue a better fit... but I mean, what is the obsession with Vucevic?

tell you what, if Kalkbrenner can give us 18/10 (or the per 36 min equivalent based on how many minutes he plays) while being a big man you can throw the ball to in the post for a bucket, hit almost 1.5 3s a game to stretch the floor, and pass at a decent to good level... I will take back everything bad I've ever said about Jeff Peterson, and our center rotation this summer.

For the record, I like the swing on Kalkbrenner, and think there's a high floor on his archetype. I hope he can give us backup minutes off the bat.

You think the Hornets need more offense?

[HornetJail]

I know I'm a dumbass homer, but is Vucevic not a plodding big like Kaulkbrenner? Sure he's 34 and a more known commodity which will make him more likely to chase a ring than sign with a bottomfeeder, thus inevitably drawing ire from part of the fanbase when he spurns the Hornets nonexistent advances to pursue a better fit... but I mean, what is the obsession with Vucevic?

tell you what, if Kalkbrenner can give us 18/10 (or the per 36 min equivalent based on how many minutes he plays) while being a big man you can throw the ball to in the post for a bucket, hit almost 1.5 3s a game to stretch the floor, and pass at a decent to good level... I will take back everything bad I've ever said about Jeff Peterson, and our center rotation this summer.

For the record, I like the swing on Kalkbrenner, and think there's a high floor on his archetype. I hope he can give us backup minutes off the bat.

You think the Hornets need more offense?

the Hornets need front court talent any way we can find it

I think our defense is going to be crap whether we have a decent defensive C or not, so I'd rather not have a giant gaping hole at C bogging our offense down (which unfortunately Moose is, and until Kalk proves he's better than a typical 2nd round rookie center, we kinda have to assume that) especially when the cost of acquiring a real one is next to nothing. Why are we averse to acquiring NBA players?

[Walt Cronkite]

I’m not opposed to acquiring NBA players in a void, I didn’t understand why Vucevic in particular is the hang up for some of you. I’ve never seen him play and thought “oh man, if only Charlotte had Nikola Vucevic their problems would be solved.” Furthermore, if his team was falling over itself to get rid of him in a contract year, I’d find that pretty curious. Maybe you were suggesting he is helpful next to Moussa since you mentioned Moussa as a stretch 4 (which I also don’t understand), but in my mind they wouldn’t see the court together.

I don’t think he helps the team as a whole get better more than Moussa does. There is only one basketball legally allowed on the court at a time and I think there are plenty of players willing to shoot it. He’s probably better than Plumlee, so if he can be gotten for a one year rental for contract garbage, I guess go for it. Just seems like we already have his archetype under contract and I struggle to see him inflating the team’s wins in a meaningful manner, but willingly admit I’m not a Vucevic aficionado.

[JDR720]

the Hornets need front court talent any way we can find it

I think our defense is going to be crap whether we have a decent defensive C or not, so I'd rather not have a giant gaping hole at C bogging our offense down (which unfortunately Moose is, and until Kalk proves he's better than a typical 2nd round rookie center, we kinda have to assume that) especially when the cost of acquiring a real one is next to nothing. Why are we averse to acquiring NBA players?

The idea that Diabate will destroy our offense isn't founded in actual stats though. This is kind of the whole issue, people have been making up narratives that are not true based on last seasons data.

Vuc is obviously a better offensive player than Diabate is, but Vuc won't have that large of an offensive role here. We have several players who need shots, adding another guy who needs shots won't make the team better.

Not to mention he's old and an expiring contract. Are we seriously going to trade assets for a rental, or are we re-signing a player in his late-30's?

[fatlever]

moose played 11 mins in france v Montenegro exhibition
1-1 for 2pts

[Bassman]

Yeah I love watching the Moose highlights compilations on YouTube. He looks genuinely impressive when all of these are mashed together. Interesting to note the score on each of those, as the Hornets are always behind, often well behind. Naturally, because they lost so many games. But how will Moose respond this season if starting and playing significant minutes against front line centers? I sure hope he has a break out season cause there is no calvary coming to the rescue.

[bravor]

Diabate released (along with Dieng nba wise) by the NT Staff so he might be back in the US (after some holidays maybe) for some training camps.

[fatlever]

Sucks for moose. It would have been good for him. Hard to believe that team couldn't use an energy big on the bench.

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[fatlever]

My guess is this is a lot about style of play when it came down to last spots. Fiba is different. Moose not gonna stretch the floor or playmake from top of key. He's a pick n roll big.

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[EmpireFalls]

Diabate released (along with Dieng nba wise) by the NT Staff so he might be back in the US (after some holidays maybe) for some training camps.

What about Salaun?

[Bassman]

My guess is this is a lot about style of play when it came down to last spots. Fiba is different. Moose not gonna stretch the floor or playmake from top of key. He's a pick n roll big.

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But some folks are happy with him as our starting center. I get that he has no shooting range, nor a good handle, but somehow he’s still acceptable as our leading 5 on a NBA team….and helping our existing players develop?

Oh well, I do hope for the best at center cause the worst is poised to smack upside their heads. Walker at LOH has this odd acceptance of the situation, looking forward to it even as he acknowledges the many shortcomings of Moose relative to serving as a lead center. He says this even while agreeing with a guest analyst on the show, who strongly bemoaned the Hornet’s players at the 5…saying they’re all bad. He seems convinced they have no interest in winning this season, unless it comes as some happy accident of convergence that elevates them into the playoffs.

But I do believe Peterson has no options right now. He maybe had a strategy to make one more trade for a starting center that fell apart….or maybe he truly didn’t care to “move his assets to the table” to make a major transaction during this offseason. It is smart to follow the process, but “great GM’s” can also pivot when the opportunity is there.