NBA Free Agency Rumors: Marvin Williams re-signs with Charlotte Hornets

By John Buhler | Jul 2, 2016

Apr 23, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Marvin Williams (2) reacts after scoring during the second half in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hornets win 96-80. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /

The Charlotte Hornets have just made an outstanding value signing by retaining small forward Marvin Williams on a four-year deal worth $54.5 million.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical of Yahoo! Sports, “Marvin Williams has agreed to a four-year, $54.5M deal to return to the Charlotte Hornets.”

With the NBA salary cap exploding in 2016 NBA free agency, the Hornets have made it a priority to re-sign many of its own players. Though they lost center Al Jefferson to the Indiana Pacers and point guard Jeremy Lin to the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte has been able to retain two of its better perimeter offensive players in Nicolas Batum and now Williams.

Marvin Williams has agreed to a four-year, $54.5M deal to return to the Charlotte Hornets, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2016

Williams has been a better player for the Hornets after struggling to meet lofty expectations with the Atlanta Hawks for most of his NBA career. He was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft after one year at North Carolina. Deron Williams and Chris Paul went three and four in that same draft.

To be fair, Atlanta didn’t put Williams in the best situations to succeed. Though he started at small forward, he has become an important part of the Hornets’ offense playing the stretch four for defensive-minded head coach Steve Clifford.

Charlotte wasn’t going to be able to keep all five of their key free agents. While the Hornets can still bring back wing Courtney Lee this offseason, if the Hornets were only going to keep two of their five 2016 free agents, they have chosen wisely.

Batum was worth the max and it’s hard to beat the value that the Hornets just got by getting Williams to agree to a four-year deal worth $54.5 million. After struggling to shoot the basketball just two years ago, the Hornets will again have the ability to go small with the best of them with the return of Batum and now Williams.

For more NBA free agency news, please check out our NBA free agency category page.

Home/Charlotte Hornets