Batum to Sign with Hornets in mega-deal

Jeff Zell,

CHARLOTTE, NC (WCCB Charlotte) – Nic Batum was priority number one for Hornets general manager Rich Cho.

He was certainly treated as such.

According to media reports, Batum and the Hornets agreed on a 5-year, $120 million deal that would keep the coveted small forward in Charlotte thru the 2020-21 season. The final year of the contract is reportedly a player-option.

Batum came to Charlotte after a trade last summer involving Gerald Henderson and Noah Vonleh. The new scenery allowed Batum to expand his horizons as the frenchman averaged career highs in both points (14.9) and assists (5.8). He also grabbed 6.1 rebounds per game for a Hornets team who won 48 games but lost in seven games to Miami in the first round of the playoffs.

Batum made the announcement just after 4 am on twitter.

 

Free-agent signings cannot become official before the NBA’s moratorium period ends July 7.

Charlotte had eight players from last year’s team that entered the open market as free agents this summer. With Batum in place, the attention can now be turned to the next piece of the 2016-17 puzzle.