Bismack Biyombo, Hornets Reportedly Agree to New Contract in 2020 Free Agency
Veteran center Bismack Biyombo will reportedly return to the Charlotte Hornets after agreeing to a new deal Sunday, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
Relatively speaking, the 28-year-old was one of the biggest beneficiaries of the NBA's salary-cap spike during the 2016 offseason.
While appearing in every game in 2015-16 for the Toronto Raptors, he made only 22 starts. However, a solid postseason (6.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks), coupled with the league's financial climate, helped him get a four-year, $72 million contract with the Orlando Magic.
The Magic quickly came to regret the decision as the cap leveled off the following summer, and spending $17 million annually on a mediocre center proved to be an unwise investment.
In short, that kind of money wasn't going to be sitting around for Biyombo, who spent the last two years with the Hornets.
Focusing solely on his contract obscured the value he delivered on the court for Charlotte in 2019-20. He averaged 7.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 0.9 blocks over 19.4 minutes per night. He remained limited offensively but made an impact on the boards and as a defender inside the restricted area.
ESPN.com ranked Biyombo 17th among centers in defensive real plus-minus (plus-1.96).
One of his standout performances came in a 102-101 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 27, when he shot 8-of-11 from the field for 19 points and collected nine rebounds.
Even in an era when traditional big men reigned supreme, Biyombo's lack of range and post moves limit his overall ceiling. According to Basketball Reference, 59.7 percent of his career shot attempts have come inside three feet or fewer.
His defense ensures he can be effective in the right role, and his somewhat smaller frame (6'8" and 255 pounds) allows him to hold his own when he's forced to guard shooters away from the basket. According to NBA.com, he held opponents to 30.7 percent on three-pointers.
Cody Zeller has one year and $15.4 million left on his current deal with Charlotte. His expiring contract could make him a trade asset for teams willing to take on short-term money or looking to strengthen their frontcourt.
For now, it looks like the Hornets are content to run things back at center with Zeller starting and Biyombo coming off the bench.
