NBA Notes: Hornets, Moussa Diabate, Pacers, Ivica Zubac, Wizards

Hornets

The Hornets have guaranteed Moussa Diabate‘s contract for the 2026-27 season, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.

The move comes as little surprise.

Diabate emerged as one of Charlotte’s best bargains this past season, starting 47 games and providing stability at center after the departures of Mark Williams and Jusuf Nurkic.

The 23-year-old averaged 7.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks while earning the NBA’s Hustle Award.

He’s scheduled to make just over $2.4 million next season, a relatively modest figure for a player who carved out a regular role in the rotation.

Diabate recently said he plans to continue expanding his offensive game as he looks to become a more complete player.

Pacers

The Pacers knew replacing Myles Turner wouldn’t be easy. That’s one reason Indiana moved aggressively to acquire Ivica Zubac from the Clippers before the trade deadline.

General manager Chad Buchanan recently defended the decision, noting that teams hoping to compete for championships need quality starters at every position.

“You’ve gotta have five good starters to go deep into the playoffs,” Buchanan said on The Ride With JMV, per Tony East of Forbes.com.

Indiana surrendered a lottery pick in the deal, but Buchanan pointed to Zubac’s affordable contract and the fact that the Pacers didn’t have to break up their core to get him.

“We’re big fans of Zu,” Buchanan said. “That’s why we made the trade.”

Wizards

The Deni Avdija trade continues to look better for Portland with each passing season. The question is whether it still makes sense for Washington.

According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, the answer isn’t entirely straightforward.

While Avdija has blossomed with the Trail Blazers, moving him helped accelerate the Wizards’ rebuilding effort. The trade brought back multiple draft assets and helped position Washington for higher lottery selections in subsequent years.

Those lottery opportunities have become a significant part of the organization’s long-term plan.

As with many rebuild-era trades, the final verdict may not be known for several years. But today, both sides can make a reasonable case they benefited from the deal.