Terry Rozier has agreed to a three-year, $58 million sign-and-trade deal with the Charlotte Hornets, league sources tell The Athletic. The deal was first reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Rozier was a restricted free agent after the Boston Celtics extended the qualifying offer to him, but was close to finalizing a deal with the Phoenix Suns under the expectation that his qualifying offer would be rescinded to renounce his cap hold and make cap room for the Celtics to sign Kemba Walker. However, the Celtics and Hornets established the potential framework for a sign-and-trade deal that would result in a substantially larger payday for Rozier to comply with base year compensation rules.
Phoenix was pursuing Rozier with the expectation that D’Angelo Russell is leaning toward signing with the Minnesota Timberwolves if they can execute a sign-and-trade deal with the Brooklyn Nets, or the Los Angeles Lakers if they fall short in their attempt to sign NBA…