Hannes Steinbach has 27 points, 15 boards in loss

Steinbach came off the bench, but it was notable that he entered the game early in the first quarter for starter Ryan Kalkbrenner. Steinbach had the hot hand as he outscored Kalkbrenner 19-2 and played 28 minutes to Kalkbrenner’s 19. We could be seeing the beginning of Steinbach moving up in the Hornets’ big man rotation, though it’s also worth noting that Moussa Diabate didn’t play due to a right elbow injury.

It wasn’t a flawless debut for Steinbach, but he showcased why he is such a good prospect for fantasy basketball. He’s a double-double machine, and even if he isn’t the best defender, he has a knack for racking up defensive stats. He’ll compete for minutes down low during his rookie season, and there is a path for him to get the starting job and become a fantasy monster in year one.

The 6-foot-10 Steinbach needed just one season to show that he was worthy of being a first-round pick, thanks largely to his hands and rebounding ability. As a freshman at Washington, the German forward/center averaged 18.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks, shooting 57.7 percent from the field and 75.9 percent from the foul line. Steinbach did show some signs of potentially being able to expand his offensive game, but the rebounding and touch around the basket are where he’ll stand out early on in his career. While Moussa Diabaté emerged as a reliable contributor and Ryan Kalkbrenner provided depth as a rookie, the Hornets still needed to improve their options in the post. Adding Steinbach accomplishes that goal, and his ability as a rebounder and defender opens the door for him to earn rotation minutes as a rookie.