CHARLOTTE - For the Charlotte Hornets, paying $5 million could turn out to be highway robbery.
That's how much the team paid for a one-year contract for former All-Star center Roy Hibbert in free agency.
The same Roy Hibbert that led the Indiana Pacers to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals, and was relied upon to shut down the likes of LeBron James and Dwayne Wade at the rim.
But Hibbert's career has fallen on hard times. After being dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2015-16 season, Hibbert averaged just 5.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.
Far from his career averages of 10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds.
After losing Al Jefferson to free agency -- to the Pacers no less -- the Hornets were in the market for a player like Hibbert. Especially the player he used to be.
"He was not just an All-Star three years ago, " said Hornets coach Steve Clifford, "you watch the Eastern Conference finals, you can make an argument, they built everything around him. He was a factor on almost every drive to the basket."
Clifford doesn't exactly think Hibbert, who stands 7-foot-2, is washed up.
"When you watch him on film, I don’t feel that he’s lost anything physically," Clifford said. "I think he’s hungry to play well again."
Hibbert's utilization will be key in his resurrection.
In Los Angeles he played for a losing team building for the future, and trying its best to honor Kobe Bryant on his way out.
"I think that the way we play will benefit him," Clifford said.
Hibbert admitted when the Lakers played Charlotte last season, he identified it as an organization he'd like to play for.
"I think that I could find a way to use my skills here defensively and offensively," he said. "Whatever they want me to do I'm going to do it."
