Hornets sign Ike Diogu: Why it’s so Important
Arizona State standout Ike Diogu has inked a deal with the Hornets. The 25 year old Diogu is an effort player that can give 12-15 quality minutes a night while starting power forward David West catches his breath. He was a highly touted draft pick (9th overall) in the 2005 NBA draft but never really got a legitimate chance to start for an NBA franchise.
At 6’9” 250 lbs., Diogu is a perfect backup for 6’9” 240 lbs. David West. In addition to their size and build, they also happen to have a very similar game. This will help the offense gel perfectly when Diogu comes in to give West a breather. Chris Paul won’t have to cater to each power forward’s style of play, rather he and Byron Scott will be able to keep running the same style no matter which post player is in the game.
The terms of the contract the Hornets gave Diogu are undisclosed as of now. He only appeared in 29 games last season, playing 19 for Portlan
d and 10 for Sacramento. Diogu most likely received a contract slightly above the veterans minimum (which is around $1 million). A good deal for the Hornets getting a youngster that is basically a less effective clone of his all-star caliber starting counterpart.
Jeff Bower is doing his due diligence this offseason, drastically reinvigorating a Hornets fanbase while actually saving owner George Shinn a decent amount of money. He’s putting together a team that should gel perfectly. Backups Collison, Thornton, Posey, and Diogu are quality players while Hilton Armstrong leaves a little bit to be desired. Coming into the offseason, only 1 of the backup positions had been adequately filled. With the addition of Diogu, the Hornets’ reserves now stand a real chance of holding their own.
Diogu hasn’t averaged incredible numbers, but his per 48 minute stats make him look a lot better. His percentages are also an important thing to consider. Players’ stats increase and decrease with how much playing time they receive, but their percentages stay the same no matter how long they’re on the court. In case of an injury to West, Diogu has the skills to fill in quite nicely with his appealing percentages. Another smooth move for the Hornets as they continue to impress on the offseason front as of late.
Diogu’s career averages:
12.5 min, 50.1 FG%, 80.4 FT%, 6.1 pts, 3.1 reb, 0.4 ast, 0.2 stl, 0.3 blk, 1 t.o.
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