The Charlotte Hornets added another key piece to their roster after acquiring veteran point guard Mo Williams in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, the two teams confirmed.
Williams was shipped to Charlotte along with guard Troy Daniels and cash considerations in exchange for fifth-year guard Gary Neal and a 2019 second-round draft pick.
The high-scoring point guard was mentioned in several trade rumors over the past several weeks. Previous reports indicated that the Cleveland Cavaliers were also interested in adding the former All-Star to their already-loaded roster to improve their title chances this season.
Williams, who will be playing in his eighth team in the league, is averaging 12.2 points to go along with 6.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds this season. In 19 starts for the Timberwolves, the 32-year-old guard averaged 16.3 points to go along with 7.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game this season.
The former Alabama standout, who once scored 52 points in a game this season, is expected to play a major role for the Hornets while waiting for the return of star playmaker Kemba Walker, who will not play for at least five more weeks after undergoing surgery in his left knee.
On the other hand, Daniels, who is playing in his second season in the league, averaged 2.8 points in 8.1 minutes per game for the Timberwolves this season.
"We are excited to be adding two quality players to our organization," Hornets general manager Rich Cho said in a statement posted on their official website. "Mo Williams is a proven NBA player who gives us additional versatility and depth in the backcourt, both while Kemba Walker is out and after Kemba returns. Troy Daniels is an outstanding shooter who we are already familiar with from having had him in our training camp last season."
Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders said that parting ways with Williams was a hard decision for the organization, especially after the veteran took the scoring cudgels and playmaking duties for the team when starting point guard Ricky Rubio was sidelined by an ankle injury.
Saunders is convinced, though, that Neal will bring a new dimension and winning culture to the team moving forward. In 43 games with the Hornets, Neal averaged 9.6 points in 21.7 minutes per game.
In a separate deal, the Timberwolves also added another young player to their promising roster, acquiring rookie power forward Adreian Payne from the Atlanta Hawks for a protected 2017 first-round pick.
Payne, who was selected 15th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft after a successful career at Michigan State, was used sparingly and was slowed down by injuries this season as he averaged just 1.5 points in three games.
