MOUSSA Diabate

Diabate's 2025-26 line is the profile of a low-usage big who does the dirty work. He averaged 7.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.0 blocks in 26.0 minutes per game, with just 1.0 turnover. His efficiency stood out. He shot 63.1 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from three, with a 65.3 true shooting percentage. The weak spot was the line, where he made 65.9 percent of his free throws. His usage rate was only 11.2 percent, so he was never the focus of the offense. Still, Charlotte was better with him on the floor: his plus-minus last season was 4.7. Those are last season's numbers, and the question for 2026-27 is whether he can hold that efficiency while taking on anything more.

Charlotte's early October games gave a small sample of Diabate before the elbow issue. On October 6 against Brooklyn, a loss, he had 4 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist in 19.6 minutes and finished at minus 8.0. On October 11 against Milwaukee, a win, he went for 8 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists in 20.4 minutes and was plus 7.0. On October 14 against Boston, another loss, he had 3 points and 5 rebounds in 23.1 minutes with a minus 8.0. Then came the Memphis game on October 16, where he did not play after the elbow injury put him on the day-to-day list. The Milwaukee game is the template: double-digit rebounds in about 20 minutes and a positive mark when he is on the court.

The end of 2025-26 showed what Diabate gives Charlotte at his best. On March 31 against Brooklyn he had 10 points and 12 rebounds in 27.2 minutes and posted a plus 25.0 in a Hornets win. Two nights later against Phoenix he grabbed 10 rebounds with 4 points, and Charlotte won again with him at plus 10.0. On April 5 against Minnesota he put up 8 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists in a win and was plus 9.0. The one rough night was April 7 against Boston, 2 points and 5 rebounds in 32.9 minutes at minus 18.0. He finished the year with 8 points and 6 rebounds in a loss to Detroit on April 10, then 4 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists in a win over New York on April 12.

The elbow is the first thing. He was cleared on October 20, and the report is clean, but it was his right arm, and the Memphis game was a full zero across the board. The next few games will show whether the 20-plus minute role from the Milwaukee and Boston preseason games is still his. The second thing is the shot. A 50.0 percent three-point mark and a 63.1 field goal percentage last season came on 11.2 percent usage. If Charlotte asks more of him, those numbers will be tested. The free throw line, 65.9 percent last season, is the clear place to improve. There are no trade or contract rumors around him, so the focus stays on the floor.