Charlotte Hornets: Roy Hibbert Looks To Travel Jeremy Lin's Path

The Charlotte Hornets are hoping Roy Hibbert can revive his career as a rim protecting backup center that will help stabilize their second unit defense.

Last season the Charlotte Hornets brought in a castoff point guard that had most recently played for the Los Angeles Lakers. After being underutilized by the Lakers–another castaway on Byron Scott island–the player’s value took a bit of a dive on the open market.

The once destined for greatness and still wildly popular point guard signed a bargain bin level contract with Charlotte in hopes of reviving his value. That player turned into a vital sixth man for the Hornets, bringing energy, scoring, and play-making off the bench.

His bounce-back season did in fact restore his value, leading to a three-year, $36 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets.

That player was, obviously, Jeremy Lin. The Hornets are taking in another L.A. castoff this season in former Laker and Indiana Pacer Roy Hibbert. The Hornets signed Hibbert to a one-year, $5 million contract this summer, hoping they can strike gold two seasons in a row.

It’s easy to forget, but Hibbert was once a dominant defensive center in Indiana. He was part of a Pacers team that made back to back Eastern Conference Finals in 2012-13 and 2013-14. He even was named an All-Star during that 2013-14 campaign.

More from Charlotte Hornets

What made him so effective defensively was his

perfect understanding of the NBA’s “verticality” rule

and his excellent positioning. Not the quickest or the most athletic defender, Hibbert still held opponents to only 44.6 percent shooting at less than six feet from the basket during that magical 2013-14 season.

Shooting over his 7-foot-3 frame in the paint without the shot being blocked or altered seemed impossible.

There was even a brief period of time when some thought that Hibbert might be the Eastern Conference’s kryptonite for LeBron James. Alas, that never panned out.

After the 2014-15 season, Larry Bird wanted the Pacers to play a faster paced brand of basketball. The small-ball era was in a full swing and the NBA was changing. That meant no more Hibbert in Indy.

Indiana dumped him off on the Lakers for a future second-round draft pick, ending his time as a Pacer.

Last season with Los Angeles was a disappointment for the big man. He scored only 5.9 points with 4.9 rebounds per game in only 23.2 minutes a night.

He was never much of an offensive force even during his best days, but this was a new low. He hadn’t averaged numbers this poor since his rookie year.

His rim protection also suffered. He allowed opponents to shoot a sizzling 60.4 percent on shots coming less from six feet from the basket and looked slower on his rotations.

It’s hard to say what was his fault and what was just a product of playing on a team that wasn’t anywhere close to competitive. But, those days are over. Hibbert is now a Charlotte Hornet and at 29 he has a chance to rewrite the second act of his career.

Hornets coach Steve Clifford has valued continuity in the past, so look for Hibbert to come off the bench early in the season.

Charlotte’s second unit is filled with less than stellar defensive players, so if Hibbert can rediscover his rim protecting brilliance he could serve as a security blanket in the paint. Cleaning up the messes made by Charlotte’s shaky perimeter defenders (sorry, Marco Belinelli and Jeremy Lamb).

If Cody Zeller struggles at all as a starter there is even a chance that Hibbert could find himself in the starting five. A starting lineup with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Nicolas Batum, Marvin Williams, and a rejuvenated Hibbert could give Steve Clifford yet another top-10 defense in Charlotte.

Any offense Hibbert provides will be the sprinkles on the sundae. He’s here for his defense.

Like with Lin, signing Hibbert is a low risk, high reward situation. If he plays well he’s one of the best backup centers in the NBA on a cheap contract. If he plays poorly they wash their hands of him after one season and are only out $5 million.

Next: Revisiting Kemba Walker's Breakout Season

If Hibbert shines in Charlotte he will hit free agency again next summer and he should able to cash in. Even in the small-ball era teams still value centers that can protect the paint.

Home/Charlotte Hornets

Charlotte Hornets: Roy Hibbert’s Role

By Andrew Snyder | Aug 31, 2016

The Charlotte Hornets are hoping Roy Hibbert can revive his career as a rim protecting backup center that will help stabilize their second unit defense.