CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Three days into free agency, the Charlotte Hornets finally have their first move.
Restricted free agent Cody Martin has agreed to terms on a four-year, $32 million deal, sources with direct knowledge of the situation told the Charlotte Observer on Saturday. Bringing Martin back was among the team’s top priorities.
Martin is one of their best defenders and was typically the first player summoned off the bench, showing off growth in his third season. He appeared in 71 games, starting in 11, and averaged 7.7 points and four rebounds per game.
Both sides had mutual interest from the get-go. Martin, a native of Mocksville, N.C., felt a bit of loyalty to the franchise that selected him in the second round in 2019. He developed into a solid contributor and even surprisingly led the NBA in 3-point field goal percentage early on in the season. He tailed off following a bout with a non-COVID illness before actually getting sick from COVID-19 and also dealt with other ailments.
Locking Martin up represented the third move of the day for the Hornets. They signed last week’s draft picks — Mark Williams and Bryce McGowens — to multi-year deals in advance of beginning their four-day summer league mini-camp on Saturday.
McGowens inked a two-way contract, meaning he will split time between Charlotte and playing for the franchise’s G League affiliate Greensboro Swarm.
