Hornets Guarantee Moussa Diabate’s 2026/27 Salary
The Hornets have guaranteed Moussa Diabate’s contract for the 2026/27 season, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk tweets.
It’s not a surprise, given that Diabate has proved to be one of the league’s biggest bargains. He’s due to make $2,461,462 next season, a pittance for a rotation player who started 47 of 73 games for Charlotte in 2025/26.
Diabate had a non-guaranteed deal that would have become partially guaranteed for $250K if he made the opening night roster and would have been fully guaranteed if he was still on the team beyond January 10.
Diabate won the NBA Hustle Award this past season. Among qualified players, he ranked first on a per-minute basis in offensive box outs, fourth in screen assists, eighth in offensive loose balls recovered, 10th in contested two-point shots, and 11th in defensive box outs and contested three-point shots.
Diabate provided some stability at the five for a Hornets team whose center position looked like a major question mark entering the season following the offseason trades of Mark Williams and Jusuf Nurkic. His counting stats included averages of 7.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 blocks per game.
He’s slated to be an unrestricted free agent after next season if he doesn’t reach an extension agreement with the Hornets. He vowed in a recent interview to continue to improve, especially offensively.
“Not saying that at the end of the day, I want to (have) a pull-up jumper and all this, but being a threat offensively is going to make me even better, and it’s going to help my teammates,” Diabate said. “So for me, definitely being comfortable with the ball more. Whether it’s me pushing it on the break or just on my handoffs or anything like that, me driving to the basket. Just really expand my game.”
Southeast Notes: Black, Diabate, Wizards
The sixth overall pick in the 2023 draft, Magic guard Anthony Black will become eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason as he enters his fourth year in the league. With significant long-term money already owed to Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and Jalen Suggs, Orlando will likely be cautious in its negotiations with Black. But he has emerged as a key part of the team’s rotation, so it seems safe to assume the club will be interested in a new deal.
Black would absolutely reciprocate that interest, suggesting to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required) that he’d welcome the opportunity to sign an extension with the Magic in the coming months.
“It’s just an opportunity to officially stamp it as like my home,” Black said. “It’s just something I’ll be looking forward to doing. Starting my young life, this is the first city I’ve played in, so it would mean a lot being able to play here for years.
“Obviously I want to win a lot too and I feel like we’re in a great position to do that and we came really close to doing that,” he continued. “So, for me, that would be ideal, but it’s the NBA and it’s always a decision that has to be made.”
We have more from around the Southeast:
- Hornets center Moussa Diabate had a breakout year in 2026/27, establishing career highs in points (7.9), rebounds (8.7), assists (1.9), and blocks (1.0) per game as he started 47 games in the middle. The 24-year-old, who is entering the final season of his minimum-salary contract in Charlotte, tells Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer that he has no intention of getting “complacent” and wants to continue improving, especially on the offensive end. “Not saying that at the end of the day, I want to (have) a pull-up jumper and all this, but being a threat offensively is going to make me even better, and it’s going to help my teammates,” Diabate said. “So for me, definitely being comfortable with the ball more. Whether it’s me pushing it on the break or just on my handoffs or anything like that, me driving to the basket. Just really expand my game.”
- NBA fans in Washington haven’t had much to cheer about in recent years, as the Wizards have been below .500 for eight straight seasons and haven’t won more than 18 games in a season since 2022/23. However, as Josh Robbins of The Athletic details, ticket sales are soaring in D.C. in the wake of trades for Trae Young and Anthony Davis and the team’s draft lottery win. President of business operations Jim Van Stone told Robbins the team has seen a 190% increase in new full-season ticket revenue from 2025 to 2026.
- In case you missed it, we rounded up several notes on the Heat on Thursday night, including items on Pelle Larsson, Davion Mitchell, and the team’s offseason plans.
Hornets Notes: White, Diabate, Offseason, Draft
Hornets head of basketball operations Jeff Peterson reiterated a couple weeks ago that the team is interested in re-signing Coby White. The 26-old guard says the feeling is mutual, telling Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer that the Hornets’ employees “create a fun environment,” which he values. White also likes the on-court fit.
“I think just the basketball, how they play, how they compete, what they’re building is something I can look forward to being a part of,” White said. “They say I can be a part of the culture that they’re building. And they obviously play a style that kind of benefits me. People could tell that by the end of the season, how I was playing. It was probably one of my most efficient stretches I had in terms of minutes and what I was doing in those minutes.
“So, yeah, I think everything just aligns right. And like I said from the jump when I first got here, something just felt right. And I think it was all part of God’s plan for me to be here.”
White, a North Caroline native, said he loves being part of the Hornets, who haven’t made the playoffs in 10 years, the longest active drought in the NBA. Still, the team certainly appears to be on the upswing after a 33-15 run to end the regular season.
Here’s more on the Hornets:
- One significant factor in the team’s success over that prolonged stretch was the play Moussa Diabate, an undersized center who won the league’s Hustle Award on Thursday. The French big man tells Boone he’s thrilled to claim the award, but believes it’s “only the beginning” of what he’s capable of. “It’s great,” Diabate told The Charlotte Observer. “It shows that I’ve been putting a lot of work in and just playing hard. That’s what it comes down to. I think it’s really a definition of who’s playing hard. The ones that maybe don’t get the proper recognition, but are still out there doing the work or are very impactful without showing as much on the stat sheet.”
- Yossi Gozlan of the Third Apron (Substack link) previews the Hornets’ offseason, pointing out that the team has two first-round picks in the 2026 draft and a surplus of future first- and second-rounders going forward. Re-signing White would have Charlotte operating as an over-the-cap team this summer, according to Gozlan, who also projects Brandon Miller to sign a highly lucrative rookie scale extension, which would kick in during the 2027/28 campaign.
- In case you missed it, the Hornets’ two first-round picks are currently at Nos. 14 and 18 in the pre-lottery order. Charlotte has a 0.5% chance of moving up from No. 14 to No. 1 at the draft lottery, which takes place May 10.
Hornets’ Moussa Diabate Wins 2025/26 Hustle Award
Hornets big man Moussa Diabate is the winner of the NBA’s Hustle Award for the 2025/26 season, the league announced today.
The Hustle Award, which debuted in 2017, isn’t voted on by media members, players, or executives like other end-of-season awards. It’s based on a statistical formula that utilizes several “hustle” stats and is designed to recognize players whose efforts might not appear in the box score but “impact winning on a nightly basis.”
Among qualified players, Diabate ranked first on a per-minute basis in offensive box outs, fourth in screen assists, eighth in offensive loose balls recovered, 10th in contested two-point shots, and 11th in defensive box outs and contested three-point shots.
Diabate set new career highs in games played (73), starts (47), and minutes per game (26.0) in 2025/26, helping provide some stability at the five for a Hornets team whose center position looked like a major question mark entering the season following the offseason trades of Mark Williams and Jusuf Nurkic. The 24-year-old was among the Hornets who played key roles in the team’s improvement from 19 wins in 2024/25 to 44 victories this season.
Hawks guard Dyson Daniels was the runner-up for the Hustle Award, per the NBA, with 2025 winner Draymond Green of the Warriors finishing in third. Grizzlies rookie Cedric Coward and Knicks swingman Josh Hart rounded out the top five.
Injury Notes: Edwards, Diabate, Quickley, Bryant
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards is officially listed as questionable for Saturday’s Game 1 at Denver, the team announced (via Twitter). The former No. 1 overall pick’s injury designation is right knee injury maintenance.
While Edwards’ status suggests he may or may not play tomorrow, he was doing on-court work after Friday’s practice, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune (Twitter link). Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic “fully expects” the 24-year-old shooting guard to suit up on Saturday (Twitter link).
Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:
- Starting center Moussa Diabate (left hip soreness) has been upgraded from questionable to available for Friday’s contest at Orlando, the Hornets announced (Twitter link). As we noted in our poll this morning, the winners of tonight’s play-in games will advance as the No. 8 seeds in their respective conferences, with the losers being eliminated from postseason contention.
- Raptors point guard Immanuel Quickley is questionable for Game 1 at Cleveland on Saturday, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Quickley, who was already battling right foot plantar fasciitis, strained his right hamstring in Toronto’s regular season finale vs. Brooklyn on April 12. The 26-year-old said he wasn’t sure if the injuries were related, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link). “Just day-to-day. Trying to take care of myself so I can be back on the floor with my teammates,” Quickley said.
- Cavaliers backup center Thomas Bryant, who missed the last four games of the regular season due to a left calf strain, has been ruled out of Saturday’s game vs. Toronto, per the league’s official injury report. The veteran big man, a free agent this summer, averaged 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game across 60 appearances in 2025/26. His shooting slash line was .506/.359/.803.
Southeast Notes: Diabate, Magic, Snyder, AD, Wizards
The Hornets could be missing their starting center when they play at Orlando on Friday to determine the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Moussa Diabate is questionable to suit up for the elimination game due to left hip soreness, Charlotte announced (via Twitter).
A French big man, Diabate recorded eight points, 14 rebounds and a block in 36 minutes during Tuesday’s play-in victory over Miami. The 24-year-old averaged 7.9 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.9 APG and 1.0 BPG in 73 appearances this season (26.0 MPG).
Here’s more from the Southeast:
- The Magic are looking to bounce back on Friday after dropping Wednesday’s play-in game at Philadelphia, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Orlando won its October 30 matchup with the Hornets by 16 points, but lost its final three regular season contests against Charlotte by 15, 27, and 19 points. “They’ve kicked our ass this year,” Paolo Banchero said about the Hornets. “So we’ve got to be ready. I’ve got to be ready. And we’ve got to be locked in from the jump. I thought we played hard (Wednesday), but it wasn’t enough. And so it’s going to take even more of an effort, and it’s going to take me playing better, as well, for us to get the win.”
- Head coach Quin Snyder deserves kudos for helping the Hawks turn their season around, according to Ken Segiura of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscriber link). The Hawks made multiple big trades that reshaped their roster after injuries foiled their offseason plans, but they closed out the regular season by going 20-6 after the All-Star break, the third-best mark in the NBA over that span. “He’s done a great job just adjusting to the personnel,” guard CJ McCollum said of Snyder. “We’ve changed and really looked at our team, how we play, how certain guys’ games have evolved over the course of the season, which also happens. We’ve added stuff, we’ve taken stuff out, we’ve kind of evaluated what works, what doesn’t work and what’s going to work for this group.”
- Trae Young and Alex Sarr are among the Wizards who have expressed excitement about playing with Anthony Davis in 2026/27, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network. “I’ve never played with a player as talented or as special as A.D. is. We haven’t gotten to play on the court yet, but we’ve talked about a lot of things,” Young said. “We talked about what it would look like when we do get on the court together.”
Hornets’ PJ Hall Out Indefinitely With Right Ankle Fracture
Hornets big man PJ Hall has been diagnosed with a right ankle fracture, according to the NBA’s official injury report. The news was first noted by Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
Hall, a second-year center out of Clemson, is on a two-way contract with the Hornets. Charlotte has yet to make an announcement regarding how much time Hall might miss. He was in a walking boot on Thursday, per Boone.
Based on the nature of his injury, there’s essentially no chance Hall will play again by April 12, when the regular season ends. Two-way players are ineligible to compete in the postseason, and since he’ll likely be out several weeks, there’s no real reason for the Hornets to promote him to a standard contract, which would make Hall postseason-eligible.
Hall opened the season on a two-way deal with Memphis. The Grizzlies waived him mid-November, and he caught on with the Hornets about five weeks later.
The 24-year-old has averaged 6.1 points and 5.5 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per game across 12 NBA appearances with Charlotte. He hasn’t played with the Hornets since February 22, having spent extended time in the G League with the Greensboro Swarm.
Hall has put up big numbers with the Swarm, averaging 18.9 PPG, 11.3 RPG and 1.7 BPG on .602/.329/.792 shooting splits in 23 games (29.6 MPG). He’ll be a restricted free agent this summer if the Hornets give him a qualifying offer, which is equivalent to another two-way contract covering one year.
In other Hornets injury news, starting center Moussa Diabate is questionable to suit up for Friday’s game vs. Indiana due to left ankle soreness. Forward Grant Williams, who returned from a torn ACL in January, is out on the second night of a back-to-back.
Southeast Notes: Hornets, Bitadze, T. Young
Head coach Charles Lee had a simple explanation for why the red-hot Hornets have been the best team in the NBA since January 22, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. The Hornets have gone 16-3 since that date and have won six straight games, with each of those victories coming by at least 16 points.
“It’s been cool to have a healthy roster,” Lee said. “That has definitely played into some of the shifts that we’ve had going along. But I think that our guys have just embraced the process even more. It started in the offseason, I thought everyone elevated their work habits, their work standards, their togetherness of how we can elevate each other. We’ve gotten stronger through all of it.”
Charlotte’s latest victory was one of its most impressive of the season. Playing on the second night of a home-road back-to-back, the Hornets dominated the 41-21 Celtics in Boston, winning by 29 points.
“They are a great team, we also believe we are a great team,” starting center Moussa Diabate said, per Boone. “At the end of the day, we are not trying to focus too much on them. Obviously we want to win the game but it’s going to take care of itself if we focus on what we have to do. For us, it’s a great thing, it’s a great message to the league as well — understand that the Hornets are here.”
We have more from around the Southeast Division:
- The Hornets were 4-14 at one point, but they are now over .500 (32-31) in March for the first time since 2021/22, notes James Jackson of The Athletic. Prior to that campaign, when Charlotte finished 43-39, the last time the team was over .500 this late in the season was ’15/16, which is also the last time the Hornets made the playoffs. A prolonged stretch of strong play is proof that Charlotte is no longer rebuilding and the club’s young core looks promising for years to come, Jackson adds.
- Reserve center Goga Bitadze had been out of the Magic‘s rotation in recent weeks, only making one appearance over the team’s last nine games heading into Tuesday. However, with Wendell Carter Jr. sidelined due to a left ankle injury, Bitadze was placed into the starting lineup against Washington and the Georgian big man delivered nine points, six rebounds, two assists and a block in 21 minutes, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. “Goga’s the best,” Jalen Suggs said about Bitadze. “He’s just in the right spots, sets good screens, rolls (and) has so much gravity when he rolls. And then he’s always behind you ready to block a shot. So, shout out to Goga (for) staying ready.”
- Trae Young was on a restriction of approximately 17-to-20 minutes on Thursday in his Wizards debut, head coach Brian Keefe said before the game (Twitter links via Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network). “I think our guys are going to enjoy playing with him and I think he’s going to enjoy playing with our guys because they’re similar in mindset,” Keefe said. “It’s just another step on our process… and someone who’s going to help us get better.” The four-time All-Star point guard finished with 12 points, six assists, two rebounds and two steals in 19 minutes.
Hornets Notes: Ball, Bridges, Diabate, White, Knueppel
LaMelo Ball has been a polarizing figure throughout his career, with critics arguing that his flashy style will never lead to winning basketball. That may be changing as Ball is showing signs of maturity in his sixth NBA season, including an efficient 37-point performance on Sunday as the Hornets defeated Washington, Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer writes in a subscriber-only story. Ball explained that he was “finding the best looks” rather than forcing the offense, which is just what coach Charles Lee wants to hear.
“I love it,” Lee said. “I think it just shows the continued growth and maturity that he’s proven all year. He has helped impact winning in a lot of different ways. It’s been his defensive activity. It’s been moments like that where he’s able to just keep making the right play no matter if he’s got it going, no matter if somebody else has got it going. He just has a better feel for the game. I feel like this year he’s trusting his teammates (more). I’m really proud of him for how he kind of handled himself and had the hot hand maturity in that moment.”
Ball has more weapons to work with this season with Brandon Miller healthy and Kon Knueppel in the midst of an outstanding rookie season. Ball’s percentages (40.1% from the floor and 36.7% from three-point range) haven’t changed much from his career averages, but he’s been shooting less frequently and making a greater effort to set up his teammates.
There’s more on the Hornets:
- The team is looking forward to bringing back Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate for Tuesday’s game at Chicago, Boone states in the same piece. Both players were given four-game suspensions for their roles in a February 9 fight against Detroit, forcing Grant Williams and Ryan Kalkbrenner into the starting lineup. “It’ll be very nice to get two very good players back into the lineup,” Lee said. “But I’m also really proud of the guys that stepped up in their absence and gave us some really big minutes.”
- Coby White hasn’t played since being acquired at the trade deadline, but the team is hopeful that he can return from a left calf strain during the current road trip, Boone adds. There’s a chance his Hornets debut could happen in Chicago, where White spent his first six-plus NBA seasons. “I guess the update would be that he’s made some great strides,” Lee said. “He’s been able to go through some contact portions of practice and during his rehab sessions. As long as he can continue to show up every day after a little bit more intensity on the court and the evaluations go well, he’s getting closer to being able to play.”
- Knueppel was surprised to learn that former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg spent $7,000 on a collection of his trading cards over the weekend (Twitter link). “He called me and I didn’t really realize … Like I’m not big into that stuff, so he was showing me the cards,” Knueppel told Boone. “… I didn’t realize cards were doing what they’re doing now, so I guess I’m not tapped in.”
Isaiah Stewart (Seven Games) Among Four Players Suspended By NBA
Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart has been suspended seven games by the NBA for leaving his team’s bench area, “aggressively” entering an on-court altercation, and fighting, the NBA announced on Wednesday in a press release (Twitter link).
The league also confirmed three more suspensions that stemmed from the fight between the Pistons and Hornets during Monday’s game. Hornets forward Miles Bridges and center Moussa Diabate have been suspended for four games apiece, while Pistons center Jalen Duren will be required to sit out for two games.
According to the NBA, Stewart received the most significant penalty in part because of his “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts.” He was also the only one of the four suspended players who wasn’t already on the court and came from the bench to get involved in the melee.
Stewart was previously suspended two games for aggressively trying to confront LeBron James during a Nov. 2021 game; three games after punching Drew Eubanks prior to a game in Feb. 2024; and two games for his involvement in an altercation between the Pistons and Timberwolves last March. He also received an automatic one-game suspension last January after racking up six flagrant foul points.
The league stated that Bridges and Diabate each received four-game bans for “fighting and escalating the altercation,” while Duren was given a two-game suspension for “initiating the altercation and fighting.”
The incident occurred with just over seven minutes remaining in the third quarter of Monday’s matchup in Charlotte. Tensions between the two opposing centers came to a head after Duren received the inbound pass, drove into the lane, and was fouled hard by Diabate. The two players butted heads, then Duren pushed Diabate in the face, igniting a fight that lasted more than 30 seconds (YouTube link).
Bridges shoved Duren with two hands, while a furious Diabate rushed after and attempted to punch Duren. His punch didn’t connect as he was held by back Tobias Harris, but Diabate continued to pursue Duren, who slowly walked away along the baseline as the Hornets center was stopped by several coaches.
The incident seemed like it could have ended at that point, but then Bridges and Duren appeared to exchange words, and Bridges approached Duren and threw a left-handed punch. Duren responded with a right that didn’t connect as Stewart rushed onto the court to confront Bridges, who threw another punch. A brief and chaotic tussle ensued, with Stewart appearing to have Bridges in a headlock at one point, before the players were separated.
Duren will begin serving his suspension on Wednesday when the Pistons visit Toronto and will also miss the first game after the All-Star break, in New York. However, he’ll still be allowed to take part in his first All-Star game on Sunday, tweets NBA insider Chris Haynes.
Stewart, meanwhile, will miss the Raptors and Knicks games, then five more beyond that. He’d be eligible to return on March 3 in Cleveland. Paul Reed figures to take on a more prominent role in Detroit’s frontcourt with Duren and Stewart out.
Bridges and Diabate, meanwhile, will miss Wednesday’s Hornets game vs. Atlanta, as well as post-All-Star matchups with Houston (Feb. 19), Cleveland (Feb. 20), and Washington (Feb. 22).
The suspensions will cost each player 1/145th of his 2025/26 salary per game. That works out to $724,138 for Stewart, $689,655 for Bridges, $89,423 for Duren, and $62,641 for Diabate.