Boston Celtics restricted free agent guard Terry Rozier plans to join the Charlotte Hornets on a three-year, $58 million contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. It’ll be a fully-guaranteed deal, per Charania.
Free agent guard Terry Rozier plans to agree to a three-year, $58M contract with the Charlotte Hornets via sign-and-trade, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2019
Rozier switches places with Kemba Walker, the longtime Charlotte point guard set to join the Celtics. The Hornets were expected to be an over-the-cap team with no space available to pursue Rozier, so a sign-and-trade with Boston involving Kemba will allow them to safely add Walker’s replacement.
Rozier, 25, had a quiet year for his standards in 2018-19 as he was inconsistent in the spot on the bench behind Kyrie Irving. However, as Luke Adams of HoopsRumors.com points out, Rozier flashed “some serious upside in 2017-18, averaging 16.5 PPG, 5.7 APG, and 5.3 RPG in 19 playoff games that spring.”
The Hornets will rely on Rozier to perform at that level again in Charlotte as he joins the Hornets in a starting role to replace Walker.
