Charlotte Hornets: Al Jefferson verbally agrees with Indiana Pacers
The Charlotte Hornets have reportedly lost Al Jefferson to the Pacers and Jeremy Lin to the Nets.
“Big Al” Jefferson has been a fan favorite for the Charlotte Hornets for the past several years. That will change next season. According to NBA league sources, Jefferson verbally agreed to a three-year contract worth $30 million to play for the Indiana Pacers.
During the 2015-2016 season, Jefferson averaged 12 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He played in a total of 47 games.
After making the playoffs last season, the Hornets are poised to made a deeper splash in the Eastern Conference if they are smart about their new acquisitions.
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Charlotte’s top priority in the offseason was re-signing Nicolas Batum, which was achieved by their front office. Jefferson joins Jeremy Lin as two players who will play elsewhere during the 2016-2017 season. Lin agreed to a three-year $36 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets.
The alleged departure of Jefferson leaves the Hornets with Cody Zeller and Spencer Hawes as the only centers left on the roster. For now, Frank Kaminsky is the starting power forward. Another important free agent to re-sign is Marvin Williams. His versatility and ability to play both forward positions gave the Hornets the opportunity to use various lineups.
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There are several free agent centers available during this offseason. Although former Hornet Bismayck Byombo had a great season with the Toronto Raptors, he is a free agent. Likewise, other notable available centers are Al Horford (Atlanta Hawks), Dwight Howard (Houston Rockets), Festus Ezeli (Golden State Warriors), David Lee (Boston Celtics), Miles Plumlee (Milwaukee Bucks), Nene Hilario (Washington Wizards), Kevin Seraphin (New York Knicks) and Zaza Pachulia (Dallas Mavericks).
The Hornets have reportedly contacted power forward Kris Humphries. Possibly, “small ball” may be instituted in the Queen City despite having seven-footers in Hawes, Kaminsky and Zeller.
One thing for sure is that the core of the team will be Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum. The Hornets will look for players whose skill levels complement both players.