According to multiple sources, Charlotte Hornets restricted free agent, 26-year old guard Devonte Graham, is now a New Orleans Pelican. He signed a 4-year, $47 million deal Monday night. In the trade, New Orleans is giving up their 2022 lottery-protected first-round pick.
The Hornets lost both of their restricted free agents. They made the decision not to retain the services of Malik Monk and they are apparently not going to match the contract offered to Graham by the Pelicans. The Hornets backcourt will undergo a huge transformation this coming season.
Graham became the third wheel when LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier received most of the playing time. Now he gets to start a clean slate with the Pelicans.
Graham had an all-star caliber season three years ago with Charlotte. He averaged 18 points a game and 8 assists, playing in 63 games in that season. He finished in fifth place in the NBA’s Most Improved Player voting, an honor won by his new teammate Brandon Ingram.
After the drafting of Ball, Graham was utilized in a few different ways, sometimes starting with Rozier and Ball in a three-guard lineup or coming off the bench in a reserve roll down the stretch of the season. His production waned slightly, dropping to 15 points and 5 assists per game.
Graham routinely struggled from the field, never eclipsing 40% in any of his seasons with the Hornets. However, in the last two years, he was able to develop his 3-point shot at 37% in 2019-20 and 38 this past season.
According to Second Spectrum, Graham shot 42.6% on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers last season, a mark that was ninth out of 62 NBA players who shot at least four catch-and-shoot 3-pointers a game. Graham went from 210 catch-and-shoot 3s two years ago to 296 last season, shifting more as the Hornets played with LaMelo Ball
controlling the show.
Graham could be inserted into the Pelicans starting lineup to replace recently departed Lonzo Ball, who has agreed to a deal with the Chicago Bulls.
According to Keith Smith of Spotrac, the Hornets were also able to create around $8.8 million in cap space with the move. They now sit at about $13.5 million. There could be more moves to come, Hornets fans.
