The Hornets have signed free agent guard LiAngelo Ball to a one-year contract, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). Ball’s deal will be non-guaranteed, adds Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The older brother of Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball, LiAngelo signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the team before the 2021/22 season and spent the year with the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s G League affiliate. In 28 games for the Swarm, he averaged 4.6 PPG and 1.1 RPG on .395/.357/.667 shooting in 13.2 minutes per contest.
LiAngelo Ball has also played for the Hornets’ Summer League team in each of the last two offseasons, appearing in three games for the club this July in Las Vegas.
The Hornets only have 13 players on fully guaranteed salaries, so there’s theoretically a path to a spot on the 15-man regular season roster for Ball. However, given his modest production at the G League level, it’s hard to envision him earning one of those back-end roster spots.
If Ball’s new deal includes an Exhibit 10 clause, he’d be eligible for a bonus worth up to $50K if he’s waived by Charlotte and then spends at least 60 days in Greensboro with the Swarm as a returning rights player.
I hope he makes it even for a game. It’d be one more than lonzo this station
PJ Washington to Miami for Max Strus & Nikola Jovic… Charlotte would get a versatile wing in Strus & reboot PJ’S rookie contract in the form of young big man Jovic… Miami gets the young bull at the 4 they need in PJ, who can enter his prime with his former teammate Herro. Oladipo’s re-emergence makes Strus less necessary to them
That sounds like a good trade scenario. I’m not sure the Miami Heat want to give up Nikola Jovic because of the potential and his on a rookie contract.
LiAngelo Ball would be nice to have on the Charlotte Hornets playing the Thanis Antetokounmpo role with the Milwaukee Bucks or the Theo Pinson role with the Dallas Mavericks.
Rough to be Gelo man. Especially with Lavar hyping up his other boys as much as he does. He won’t see the court.