Free-agent center Roy Hibbert has agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal with the Charlotte Hornets, league sources told The Vertical. The team has improved dramatically, having their best season since the team’s return past year, and a new offense that should allow Sessions more space to attack the basket.
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Ramon Sessions, who played in Charlotte for a year and a half during the Bobcats era, has returned to the team on a 2-year deal worth $12.5 million.
The Hornets had already come to terms with two of their own players, forwards Nic Batum and Marvin Williams, and have a trade pending with the Sacramento Kings that will acquire shooting guard Marco Belinelli.
He likely will be Charlotte’s starting center but it wouldn’t be surprising if Hibbert still plays around 20 minutes or so a night.
Sessions, 30, grew up in Myrtle Beach. Sessions was a fill-in starter at the end of last season when John Wall missed the end of the season with injury.
He was traded in 2015 to the Lakers, a team which struggled to a 17-65 record in 2015-16.
The big man appears headed for the exit.
Hibbert averaged 5.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game this season for the Los Angeles Lakers, which marked a career-low in both categories.
The 7-foot-2 Hibbert is expected to back up Cody Zeller.
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He’s not the greatest 3-point shooter in the world, a career of 31 percent from deep, so the fit will be a little weird at times but he can penetrate inside which is exactly what the Hornets wants out of their guards.
