Marco Belinelli to Hornets: Latest Trade Details, Comments and Reaction
Nearly a year after signing a three-year, $19 million deal with the Sacramento Kings, swingman Marco Belinelli is reportedly being shipped out of California's capital.
According to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, Belinelli is headed to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for the No. 22 pick in Thursday night's draft. Wojnarowski noted the trade won't be official until July 1, but the Hornets will be selecting a player for the Kings when they're on the clock.
Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer confirmed the report.
The Vertical's Bobby Marks broke down the financial logistics of the deal:
The 30-year-old Italian proved to be an effective complementary shooter for the San Antonio Spurs in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, but he became a salary-cap casualty when the team chased after LaMarcus Aldridge and re-signed a handful of key veterans in free agency last summer.
During his first season with the Kings, Belinelli's numbers plummeted to new lows. A year after shooting 42.3 percent from the field and a solid 37.4 percent from three, the swingman hit just 38.6 percent of his total shots and 30.6 percent of his long-range attempts.
Here's the real kicker: Belinelli knocked down a paltry 32.1 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes a year after drilling 39.7 percent of those same shots, according to SportVU player-tracking data provided to NBA.com.
Bleacher Report's Michael Pina shared another discouraging fact regarding Belinelli's 2015-16 season:
If there's a silver lining, it's that Belinelli has made it clear he's a team player who doesn't need a large volume of shots to make an impact.
"I just want to play and help the team win," Belinelli said when asked if he wants more plays drawn up for him, per the Sacramento Bee's Jason Jones. "I’m not the guy who wants to have a couple plays to score. I never had that before in San Antonio or Chicago. I just tried to be on the court, read the defense, try to be aggressive and try to create an easy shot."
| On Court | 100.2 | 106.7 | -6.4 |
| Off Court | 105.5 | 106.0 | -0.5 |
The statistical regression was a legitimate concern, but a change of scenery should serve the veteran well.
A career 37.9 percent shooter from distance, Belinelli has generally been one of the league's steadier long-range threats. Additionally, he's on a team-friendly deal that pays out $6.3 million next season and $6.6 million the following year.
Viewed through the prism of a rising salary cap, that's a bargain.
And considering the Hornets have roster spots to fill on the wing with Nicolas Batum, Marvin Williams and Courtney Lee all headed for free agency, Belinelli can help plug a hole and provide reinforcements without impeding the team's quest to maintain some continuity in the weeks ahead.
Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com unless noted otherwise. Contract information courtesy of Spotrac.com.
