Hornets sign Clippers big Moussa Diabaté to two-way deal
Diabaté played 33 games over a two-year stint with the Clippers.
CHARLOTTE — The Hornets will sign Clippers big Moussa Diabaté to a two-way deal per ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski. Diabaté is the last of the Hornets’ three available two-way slots, joining rookie KJ Simpson and sophomore Leaky Black.
Diabaté joins Charlotte from Los Angeles, where he was drafted in 2022 with the 43rd pick. He struggled for consistent game time with them as he bounced in and out of the Clippers’ G League affiliate, the Ontario Clippers. Diabaté appeared in 22 games with the first team, averaging 2.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.
He earned G League All-Rookie honors with Ontario, averaging 17.6 points and a whopping 13.8 rebounds per game. He returned to Ontario last season, averaging 15.6 points and 10.2 rebounds across 14 total appearances. The high-school five-star added 2.1 blocks, one steal, and 2.4 assists per contest. His playing time decreased with the arrival of centers Mason Plumlee and Daniel Theis.
Diabaté averaged 12.2 points (64.1% from the field) and 7.4 rebounds per game in five Summer League appearances.
The Clippers decided not to offer the promising Diabaté a qualifying offer before free agency struck, so Diabaté has been a free agent since June. Diabaté will earn $559,782 throughout the season, half of the rookie minimum. The Michigan alum weighs in as the Greensboro Swarm’s first center on their still-evolving roster.
More analysis and news will be added as time goes on.