Mason Plumlee's role with the Hornets can't exceed being this year's Taj Gibson

Mason Plumlee returned to the Charlotte Hornets this summer after a couple of seasons away. He was the starting center for the Hornets before he was traded to the Clippers in the 202-23 season.

Since then, Plumlee has only had a reserve role. He played with the Clippers for a year and a half before moving on to the Suns last year, once again coming off the bench.

Charlotte doesn't have an established starting center on the roster. That is the only reason why Plumlee has any hope of becoming a starter again. It would be bad for Charlotte if he plays that much, though.

Mason Plumlee needs to be this year's Taj Gibson for the Hornets

If the Hornets are serious about making the playoffs this season, Plumlee needs to be this year's version of Taj Gibson. Gibson only played half the season for Charlotte, averaging just 11.1 minutes per game.

Gibson was in Charlotte purely to provide mentorship for younger players and add some leadership to the locker room. He wasn't counted on to play big minutes for any reason.

Charlotte needs Plumlee to do the same thing this season. If he plays big minutes, that means that something has gone very wrong for the Hornets from a competitive standpoint.

Plumlee is still a useful player. He is still a fantastic rebounder and a useful passer. Those are skills that are perfect off the bench. His free-throw shooting is still horrendous, and he doesn't add any value offensively unless he's right at the rim.

The Hornets need Mason Plumlee to be a leader who sits on the bench

Plumlee might be ready to accept a lower role at this point in his career. He has had a long career, so perhaps he just wants to play 10-15 minutes off the bench for a young team.

He can certainly help Moussa Diabate turn into a useful center in the NBA. Diabate could certainly learn a lot from everything that Plumlee has seen in his NBA career.

Last season, Plumlee averaged 4.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.

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