3:35pm: After officially waiving three players to create additional cap room, the Hornets have completed their trade for Graham and New Orleans’ 2025 second-round pick, per a team release. They sent out cash to San Antonio and immediately waived Graham, as expected.
2:26pm: The Hornets will receive New Orleans’ 2025 second-round pick in the deal, while the Spurs receive cash, sources tell Andrew Lopez of ESPN (Twitter link).
12:41pm: The Spurs are trading Devonte’ Graham and a second-round draft pick to the Hornets, one of the veteran guard’s former teams, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Graham won’t be back in Charlotte for long, though. According to Wojnarowski, the Hornets plan to waive Graham, making him an unrestricted free agent. The guard’s $12.65MM is partially guaranteed for $2.85MM, so Charlotte will have to take his fully salary into its cap room but will only end up on the hook for $2.85MM.
The 6’1″ Kansas alum, 29, played sparingly with the Spurs last season, averaging just 5.0 points per game on a .352/.301/.813 shooting line. He appeared in just 23 contests, logging 13.6 minutes per night.
Graham kicked off his NBA career with the Hornets, for whom he played from 2018-21. He spent 2021/22 and part of ’22/23 with the Pelicans before being traded to San Antonio midway through that season. During his best year, 2019/20, Graham finished fifth in Most Improved Player voting, averaging 18.2 points, 7.5 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game.
As cap expert Yossi Gozlan notes (via Twitter), this deal will give San Antonio some additional cap relief — the team now projects to have up to about $19MM in cap space.
As Gozlan notes, the Spurs could theoretically take back the mid-sized contract of a veteran wing like Harrison Barnes or Kevin Huerter to help orchestrate a three-team sign-and-trade with the Bulls and Kings to send All-Star wing DeMar DeRozan to Sacramento. San Antonio likely has something specific up its sleeve that will require a bit of extra breathing room below the cap, since Graham’s $2.85MM partial guarantee was pretty minimal.
The Hornets are reportedly waiving Davis Bertans in order to open up the cap room necessary to take on Graham’s salary.
is that all coming back to the kings is DeRozan if they lose Barnes and Huerter? There got to be more assets to the kings?
The Kings will lose Barnes OR Huerter. Not both.
Maybe Bulls dump salary to Spurs
What do the Hornets gain out of a deal like this? At first glance, it looks like they paying 3M for a future 2nd round pick. Am I missing something?
Hornets use up excess space for a 2nd round pick.
San Antonio could use Harrison Barnes. He is an upgrade for their front court. Barnes can start over Keldon Johnson, or be a solid upgrade to their bench.
No. There is no chance a 32 year eold is in their plans other than maybe a short term reserve role. This all about the math.
What math? I didn’t suggest San Antonio would extend Barnes. Take a look at the Spurs front court depth chart. Barnes is an upgrade over anything on their bench. The Spurs would likely get picks as well.
Don’t think the Spurs are looking to make the playoffs next year. This is another learning/chemistry year before they truly begin to navigate deals, etc.
Meaning they did this for the cap room not for any player they get in exchange. That player will either be released or as the article says – it will be part of a multi team sign and trade. They aren’t interested in the players
Btw I wouldn’t care if Barnes was this year’s Doug McDermott – offense off the bench – but that’s not what this deal is about. Remember their goal this year is modest improvement over last year – 2025 is the year.
Riiiiight. A 32 year old Barnes isn’t in their plans but an almost 40 year old Chris Paul is…
You aren’t serious are you? Let me try to help you understand – Paul is a hall of fame player that is there to spend one year helping with Wemby’s development. Then when he retires next year they clear $11 million of cap room in the year that they have targeted to add free agents. More math – but I can go slower if you want. Bottom line – they didn’t add Paul because he’s in their future plans AND Barnes does nothing to accelerate Wemby’s development. I’m sorry if this is too complicated.
Hilarious. Paul is there to explain how to play the game to a guy who is the complete opposite of him as a player and not to unlock wembys skill set… But the veteran Barnes who, not sure if you’ve followed the league long of enough to know this, HAS A RING…. He’d just do nothing for that locker room. God you are an idiot. Thinking the only thing that benefits the Spurs is a 20-24 year old player who couldn’t earn minutes on a contender is ridiculous. Go play 2k dude.
Also pretending that an 11 million dollar expiring deal somehow benefits the Spurs more than an 18 million dollar moveable contract is ridiculous. You have no idea how the NBA operates. Tell me who the Spurs are going to sign next year. PLEASE.
lol. Nice schooling.
And now Barnes is a Spur lol.
I agree
The Kings are already thin in the front court. If they trade Barnes, they really need to add two more.
Graham back with Hornets, with Ball missing time every year he will play. They can also buyout and have Tre Mann backup.
They waived Graham bud
His legacy might be flipping the entire west standings on the last day with his last second shot !
So the Spurs must be involved in another deal, right?
Why wouldn’t they just release the player themselves and not give up even a protected and not so likely 2nd rd pick?
The Spurs have 19 second rounders in the next six drafts. They have 5 in 2026. Even if they don’t make another move, essentially getting paid 2.9 mil for one of those picks is a good business move.
They save 2.5 mill in cap
Probably need it to be the 3 rd team in the sac chi derozan deal from what it sounds like
Hornets already had him, he didn’t click.