The Hornets are signing free agent guard LiAngelo Ball to a one-year contract, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. The deal will be non-guaranteed, adds Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The older brother of Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball, LiAngelo signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the team before the 2021-2022 season and spent the year with the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s G League affiliate. In 28 games for the Swarm, he averaged 4.6 PPG and 1.1 RPG on .395/.357/.667 shooting in 13.2 minutes per contest.
LiAngelo Ball has also played for the Hornets’ Summer League team in each of the last two offseasons, appearing in three games for the club this July in Las Vegas.
The Hornets only have 13 players on fully guaranteed salaries, so there’s theoretically a path to a spot on the 15-man regular-season roster for Ball. However, given his modest production at the G League level, it’s hard to envision him earning one of those back-end roster spots.
If Ball’s new deal includes an Exhibit 10 clause, he’d be eligible for a bonus worth up to $50K if he’s waived by Charlotte and then spends at least 60 days in Greensboro with the Swarm as a returning rights player.
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