The San Antonio Spurs have made a significant move by trading guard Devonte' Graham and a second-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets. Sources have confirmed this trade, which will see the Hornets waive Graham, allowing him to become a free agent.
Before this trade, the Spurs were approximately $26 million below the salary cap. This move comes as the Spurs focus on playing younger players, leading to Graham seeing limited playing time last season, appearing in only 23 games.
Graham, 29, was set to enter the final year of a four-year contract he originally signed with the Hornets in 2021. The contract was part of a sign-and-trade deal with the New Orleans Pelicans. He was due to make $12.65 million in the 2024-25 season, with only $2.85 million of that amount guaranteed.
The original guarantee date for Graham's contract was July 1, but it was later pushed back to July 8. In the games he played for the Spurs, Graham averaged 5.0 points and 2.1 assists. However, in the final eight games of the season, his performance improved, averaging 8.1 points and 3.5 assists while playing an average of 23.6 minutes per game.
This trade marks a significant roster change for both the Spurs and the Hornets. It will be interesting to see how Graham's free agency plays out and what impact his departure will have on both teams moving forward.
