Amidst the Paul George, Russell Westbrook, and Brandon Boston decisions today, the Clippers made two smaller moves, declining the team option for Kai Jones and not tendering Moussa Diabate a qualifying offer. Both of these actions make those players unrestricted free agents.

Unlike Boston, the path for Moussa and Kai to return seems fairly open, per Law Murray of the Athletic. Moussa has only two years of NBA service, which means he can still sign one more two-way deal (Xavier Moon, who the Clippers also did not sign a qualifying offer for, can’t). Right now, therefore, Jordan Miller is the only guy signed to a two-way, with Trentyn Flowers and other Clippers’ summer league guys being in contention for the last two spots. It’s also possible Miller earns a full spot on the roster, as he had an excellent G-League season and is an older prospect.

Jones has not played at all with the Clippers after signing his deal at the tail end of this past season, but the Clips seem to have liked what they’d seen from him just being around the team in the playoffs.

Moussa and Jones are totally unrestricted, so it’s possible another team offers them a two-way or even a full NBA roster spot and that’s that. Based on their track records, I don’t think that option is super likely, so my guess is we will see both guys on the Clippers’ Summer League team and then probably in training camp.

Overall, the Clippers’ board is now set heading into free agency. Kawhi, Norm, Zu, Terance, Russ, Amir, Bones, PJ, and Kobe are all under contract on regular deals, Jordan Miller is on a two-way, and everyone else from last season’s team is a free agent. Let free agency begin!

Clippers Make Decisions on Kai Jones, Moussa Diabate
Robert Flom

Our exit interview series on the 2024 Clippers continues with two-way big man Moussa Diabate.

Basic Information

Height: 6’10

Weight: 220 pounds

Position: Center/Power Forward

Age: 22

Years in NBA: 2

Key NBA Stats: 2.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.1 blocks in 5.8 minutes per game across 11 games played (0 starts) on 52.6/64.3 (0 3PA, 1.3 FTA attempts) shooting splits (57.6 True Shooting)

G-League Stats: 15.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 2.1 blocks in 30.0 minutes per game across 19 games played (regular season + showcase cup) on 54.1/58.3 shooting splits (1/8 on threes)

Expectations

After a fairly standard rookie season for a mid-2^nd round rookie on a two-way (i.e., very little playing time and nearly all in garbage time), Clippers’ fans hoped Moussa would be able to get more time in the NBA this year. While the Clips had the rock-solid Ivica Zubac at starter, and brought Mason Plumlee back as the backup, the trading of all of the Clippers’ forwards in the Harden deal meant less small-ball, and Plumlee is old. Thus, a Plumlee injury would have seemed to open the door for Moussa minutes. If Moussa did play, the expectation was for lots of energy, some switchable if foul-prone defense, and rough offense outside of offensive rebounding.

Reality

What was described above happened almost to a T. The Clippers traded for Harden, moving all of their forwards. And in the sixth game of the season, Plumlee got injured. The next game, PJ Tucker played backup center, but after that, Moussa got the call, and logged 10+ minutes in two straight games on November 10 and 12. Moussa actually had a “big” game against the Mavs, scoring 11 points with 9 rebounds, but he was predictably rough on offense overall, and with the Clippers in the middle of their early season six-game losing streak, Daniel Theis was signed to shore up the Clippers’ center depth.

Moussa played in three of the next nine games, but all of his minutes were in garbage time. The Clippers caught their groove in early December, Theis was playing well, and Moussa went back to the G-League. He only played in two more games the rest of the season after November 30, spending nearly all of his time in Ontario. Unfortunately, Moussa suffered through several injuries, including a broken finger, and played a mere 19 games in the G-League.

In the end, it was a bit of a lost season for Moussa, who had solid stats in the G-League but did not improve upon his rookie numbers and got in way fewer reps. Hopefully he’s able to get in a lot of work this summer and has a solid Summer League, because he’s in a very similar position to Jason Preston last year, where the clock is clearly ticking on his place in the NBA.

Future with Clippers

Moussa will be a restricted free agent this summer, and has only two years of NBA play, which means he’s still eligible for a two-way deal. Considering how little he’s showed, it seems very unlikely another team will offer him a real NBA contract, though it is possible.

If nobody else makes an offer to Moussa, it’s likely that the Clippers bring him back on another two-way. Moussa is still 22, and while this season was a bit of a lost year, the Clippers only have one second round pick and no pipeline of young guys to bring into the rotation. Maybe the Clippers are just out on Moussa and let him walk or don’t even bother tending him a qualifying offer. I’d guess he’s back next year, but if Kai Jones does stick with the team Moussa’s path to any rotation minutes becomes nearly impossible.

Clippers 2024 Exit Interview: Moussa Diabate
Robert Flom

Our player preview series for the 2024 Clippers continues with Moussa Diabate, the team’s third-string center.

Basic Information

Height: 6’11”

Weight: 210 pounds

Position: Power forward/Center

Age: 21

Years in NBA: 1

Key Stats: 2.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.4 blocks on 51.5/50/62.5 splits across 22 games in 8.9 minutes per game

Contract status: Two-way contract worth $559,782 this season

Expectations

Moussa Diabate is coming into the 2023-24 season with not much expected of him. There isn’t any real pathway towards rotation minutes barring any major injuries (knock on wood).

Diabate is going to get plenty of reps in the G League though, leading the Ontario Clippers. He’s still a raw prospect and a long-term one at that. Playing in the G League will help him continue to develop.

Strengths

Diabate is a high-energy player especially on the glass. In the limited minutes he did see during the regular season, the offensive glass in particular was where he was able to make his mark.

In the G League, he did show an ability to score and defend and was named to the G League All-Rookie Team. While those were strengths in the G League, it remains to be seen if those skills can translate to the NBA.

Weaknesses

Diabate is still a very raw player offensively. The Clippers aren’t going to be counting on him to create his own shot anytime soon. Right now his best offensive weapon is being active around the rim and getting put back opportunities.

He’s also listed as a center, but he’s a little bit undersized for the position and that can hinder him on the defensive end trying to guard bigger NBA centers.

Summary

Overall, there are still too many unknowns about Diabate to really project his future. He was dealing with injury issues during Summer League, so Clippers fans weren’t even able to really get a gauge on him.

The Clippers obviously think enough of him to have brought him back. But it’s going to be a while before Clippers fans get to see him in meaningful game action. Tune in to the Ontario Clippers to se Diabate in live game reps.

2023-24 Clippers Season Preview: Moussa Diabate
David Yapkowitz

The Clippers have made probably one of their final moves of the 2023 offseason – re-sign Moussa Diabate to a two-way deal. The news was “broken” by Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype, though a quick perusal on the NBA player transactions page shows that the Clippers actually re-signed him on Friday.

This was an extremely predictable move. Moussa showed flashes in the G-League last year and in limited minutes in the NBA, but the Clippers don’t have a full roster spot available for him, and he hasn’t proven enough after falling to the 46th pick in the 2022 Draft for any other team to give him a fully guaranteed deal in restricted free agency that the Clippers might not match. Thus, a return on a two-way was all but assured, especially after Moussa played only two decent games in Summer League before leaving with injury and not getting a real chance to show out.

This signing closes one of the Clippers’ three two-way spots. One other is presumably open for Jordan Miller, the 48th pick in the 2023 draft. The last one could go back to Xavier Moon if he can’t get a full NBA deal or a lucrative international contract, it could be offered to one of the Clippers’ summer league players, or it could be left open.

There’s not much business left for the Clippers’ this summer. Jason Preston’s 2023-2024 contract has a guarantee date tomorrow, so they could either decline to guarantee it and waive him, guarantee it, or push the date back. Outside of that, it’s just waiting around for a Harden, Lillard, or Siakam trade, none of which appears remotely close to happening soon.

For now, welcome back Moussa!

Clippers Re-Sign Moussa Diabate to Two-Way Deal
Robert Flom

Keith Smith of Spotrac and Andrew Greif of the LA Times reported today that the Clippers gave Moussa Diabate a two-way qualifying offer, making him a restricted free agent.

This was expected, but still a check mark the Clippers had to tick before free agency. Moussa was the 43rd pick in last year’s draft, and spent most of the season in the G-League, where he earned 1st Team All-Rookie honors for the Ontario Clippers. In 22 games in the NBA, Moussa averaged 2.7 points and 2.3 rebounds while showing flashes of potential on defense.

Just 21 years old, Moussa is one of the most promising of the Clippers’ young guys due to his athleticism, motor, and latent defensive abilities. As a restricted two-way free agent, he could take the qualifying offer and come back on a two-way. Perhaps slightly more likely is that the Clippers sign him to a regular NBA deal to get him on the 15 man roster and not have to worry about his games played number, even if he still spends a lot of next season in the G-League.

It’s not a stone cold lock that Moussa Diabate is back with the Clippers next year, but it’s extremely likely after this qualifying offer was tendered – he might be one of the most likely guys to stick around of anyone on the roster. Hopefully he plays more in the NBA next year!

Clippers Tender Qualifying Offer to Moussa Diabate
Robert Flom

Our exit interview series on the 2023 Clippers continues with rookie big man Moussa Diabate.

Basic Information

Height: 6’10

Weight: 220 pounds

Position: Center/Power Forward

Age: 21

Years in NBA: 1

Key NBA Stats: 2.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 0.3 steals, and 0.4 blocks in 8.9 minutes per game across 22 games played (1 start) on 51.1/50/62.5 (0.1 3PA, 0.7 FTA attempts) shooting splits (54.6 True Shooting)

G-League Stats: 16.8 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks in 32.3 minutes per game across 33 games played (regular season + showcase cup) on 57/64.1 shooting splits (0-5 on threes)

Expectations

As a rookie mid-2^nd round pick on a two-way deal, expectations for Moussa Diabate to contribute much to a supposed championship contender were low. However, as the Clippers entered training camp with Ivica Zubac as the only big man on a full NBA deal and Moses Brown on a non-guaranteed contract, it was also reasonable to think Moussa would really get some minutes throughout the season. A raw player, Moussa was expected to provide energy, rebounding, and some potentially switchable defense with minimal offensive contributions in the minutes he did receive in the NBA, with most of his playing time coming in the G-League.

Reality

Even with Moussa Diabate being a raw 20-year-old rookie on a two-way deal, I’m a bit surprised at how little he played considering the 2023 Clippers only had Zu and Moses Brown as big men until the trade for Mason Plumlee at the deadline. Moussa had two mini stretches where he was in the rotation ahead of Brown (and Robert Covington), a three-game stint from November 29 to December 3, and two games on December 15 and 17. He actually produced decently in those games, especially as a rebounder, but his rawness on offense and inability to defend true centers meant the Clippers couldn’t trust him in the rotation.

The G-League was a whole different story. Moussa played extensively in Ontario, helping the G-League Clippers win the Showcase Cup tournament in the early part of the season and ultimately earning All-Rookie 1^st Team and All G League 3^rd Team honors. His numbers in the G League aren’t extraordinary, but the rebounding, especially offensive (5 per game!), stands out, as do the steal and block numbers and even assists. Moussa was a very helpful and impactful player in the G-League – the question now is whether he can translate that to the NBA level.

Future with Clippers

Moussa is signed for another season on a two-way deal, which means the Clippers don’t have a lot invested in him, but also means that he has no trade value as a contract and is not taking a valuable full roster spot. Even if the Clippers lost faith in Moussa like they did in previous big man picks Mfiondu Kabengele and Daniel Oturu (and there’s no evidence that they have), there’s really no point in trading him or cutting him at this stage. Therefore, even though he’s not a top 15 player on the roster, his spot is actually one of the more secure on the Clippers heading into the 2024 season. Of course, beyond that is a total question mark, but it would actually be a bit surprising to see him elsewhere until next summer.

2023 Clippers Exit Interview: Moussa Diabate
Robert Flom

For many NBA players, when they first come into the league they have certain things they want improve upon. They’ve identified specific goals they want to achieve as a rookie.

But for Moussa Diabate, there isn’t any one thing that stands out to him in terms of what he’s focusing on. As he wraps up his rookie season with the Los Angeles Clippers, all he wants to be able to say is that he took one step forward.

“For me, there’s not like a specific thing really where I’m like okay, I got to get better at this,” Diabate told 213 Hoops. “It’s mostly just overall, just to be like okay I took a step, I took a step forward.”

Coming into the season, it was already a given that Diabate was not going to see major minutes. The Clippers had a veteran-heavy rotation and championship aspirations. Enter the G League.

In recent seasons, the Clippers have been one of the teams in the league who have used the G League extensively. When Terance Mann was a rookie he spent time with the then Agua Caliente Clippers (now renamed the Ontario Clippers). Amir Coffey cut his teeth in Ontario before earning a regular NBA contract. Brandon Boston Jr. and Jason Preston have had big performances in the G League as well.

This season has been Diabate’s turn. In 18 games for Ontario Diabate has averaged 15.9 points per game, 12.4 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocked shots while shooting 54.2 percent from the field. He’s had the opportunity to get valuable game reps rather than just sit on the bench.

“It’s amazing, I think it’s a great opportunity to get better especially for young players that don’t get much time in the NBA,” Diabate said. “It’s been great, it’s been amazing. I was able to showcase a lot more than what I do over here with the big team. It’s a blessing and it’s a great opportunity.”

Diabate has had some limited opportunities with the Clippers this season where he flashed some brief potential. Back on Nov. 30 against the Utah Jazz he put up 11 points and eight rebounds. On Dec. 15 against the Phoenix Suns he had eight points and eight rebounds. On Jan. 29 he nabbed 13 points and five boards against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He’s a mobile big man with a high motor. He’s shown a knack for grabbing rebounds and a nice touch around the basket. His skill-set is something the Clippers actually could have used prior to their trade deadline deals.

Diabate knows though that as a young player the key to earning regular minutes is not his entire skill-set, but by focusing on one key aspect and perfecting that skill.

“As of right now, I’m part of the young faces. We need to be focused on one thing, one or two things,” Diabate said. “For me it’s defense and energy. My energy on defense and rebounding. Me just playing hard and going up and down the floor.”

Diabate spent only one season playing college basketball at Michigan under a former NBA All-Star big man in Juwan Howard. He started in 26 games of the 32 he played and put up 9.0 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 54.2 percent from the field.

He declared for the NBA draft after his freshman year and decided to keep his name in the draft. Although he was raw, the Clippers saw enough potential there to draft him in the second round. Diabate credits Howard with instilling an NBA mindset in him and preparing him enough that he felt like he was ready for the league.

“He was amazing, Coach Juwan he played in the NBA and had a lot of experience. We were running like NBA players already and making NBA play calls already,” Diabate said. “That was preparing me. Everything from paying attention to the detail, to the amount of work and the amount of time watching film. Everything was purposely made for us to be ready for that stage.”

With the Clippers heading into their first round series against the Phoenix Suns, Diabate will get his first look at the NBA playoffs, albeit from the bench. It’s valuable experience though to get to see how star players like Kawhi Leonard prepare for the postseason.

No matter what happens in the playoffs, when the Clippers open summer league in Las Vegas in July, Diabate will definitely be there. That’s likely the next time he sees meaningful on court minutes. But until then, he’ll be soaking up everything he can. He’ll be observing everything he can.

And thanks to Howard, the transition to the NBA game hasn’t been quite as hard as Diabate maybe anticipated.

“I will say that it wasn’t really like as big as I thought. I think it’s mostly understanding the game, that’s mostly what it is,” Diabate said. “There’s so much more spacing, the game is so much faster too. You really got to understand what you’re doing and really pay attention to the details. I would say it’s mostly just understanding the game.”

Moussa Diabate is just looking to take one step
David Yapkowitz

Our 2022-2023 player season preview series continues with Moussa Diabate, the Clippers’ only pick in the 2022 draft.

Basic Information

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 220 pounds

Position: Center/Power Forward

Age: 20

Years in NBA: Rookie

Key Stats at Michigan: 9.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 0.8 assists, and 0.9 blocks in 24.9 minutes per game across 32 games (26 starts) on 54.2% shooting from the field and 61.9% from the line.

Contract Status: Two-way contract for this year and probably next year

Expectations

Moussa Diabate was the 43^rd pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and the Clippers’ only selection on draft night. Just 20 years old, Moussa is more of a long-term, raw prospect. He played just one year of college basketball, and while he played a decent amount in a strong conference, his numbers don’t pop off the page. Despite all that, as of this writing, Moussa Diabate is the only other true big man on the Clippers’ roster outside of Ivica Zubac with guaranteed money for the 2023 season. Even if the Clippers go small at backup center with Robert Covington and Nicolas Batum, there will be games where one of those guys is out, or when Zu is out, that will probably mean Moussa gets minutes.

Now, the Clippers could bring another big man onto the team with the 15^th roster spot, or with a second two-way deal, but until then, expectations for Moussa are that when his number is called, he’ll provide energy and a very base level of competency.

Strengths

Moussa’s biggest strength as a prospect and probably at the NBA level is his motor. This may sound dismissive “he has no skill, he just plays hard”, but one, playing hard all the time is a skill in and of itself, and second, motor translates to more than just effort. Moussa is always playing hard, whether it be closing on three-point shooters, chasing down rebounds, and diving for loose balls. That sheer energy translates to little things in winning basketball games, is contagious, and can provide a jolt for teams like the Clippers that are older and less athletic. And, more importantly, energy is always valuable, whether it be in a random January game or in a close playoff contest.

Relatedly, Moussa is a plus athlete. For his size, he has great straight-line speed and is also fairly quick laterally in defending on the perimeter. While a bit undersized as a rim protector, he has the broad outlines of a big man who can switch on the perimeter as well as block shots around the basket – extraordinarily valuable in today’s NBA. That speed and leaping ability should also translate to dunks in transition, which will be nice alongside a speed demon like John Wall.

In the halfcourt, Moussa’s value will lie primarily in offensive rebounding. His size, motor, and athleticism all result in him collecting offensive boards at a high level. That will be more difficult against larger, stronger, and more athletic NBA players, but Moussa should still be able to help out the Clippers in that area.

Weaknesses

Moussa is extremely raw in nearly all aspects of the game. That is very, very difficult for a championship-contending team like the Clippers to deal with in more than miniscule doses. The Clippers will want steady competency across their roster, and it seems unlikely that Moussa can provide that his rookie season. On offense, Moussa’s jump shot is a work in progress (to put it delicately). He can roll to the rim, but his processing of the game is slow, meaning he can rarely make playmaking reads in the short roll – if he gets it, he’s going up with it. On defense, Moussa is overactive; he jumps at nearly every ball fake, leading to fouls and easy buckets. He can also be slow at rotating and reading the offense, resulting in breakdowns. In short, while Moussa has raw talent, it’s an open question whether he can do much at an NBA level right now outside of play hard and run in transition.

Summary

Moussa is a very interesting rookie who might not play much for the Clippers, or could have a larger impact on the season than expected of someone in his position. Regardless, he should be fun to watch in the NBA in limited minutes and in the G-League, and will hopefully develop into someone the Clippers keep around for a while.

Clippers 2022-2023 Season Preview: Moussa Diabate
Robert Flom