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Thursday 21 June 2018
AP source: Hornets agree to trade Howard to Nets for Mozgov

By STEVE REED having already replaced He played in only 31 games
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — their general manager and last season for the Nets,
The Charlotte Hornets have coach, could be on the averaging 4.2 points and
agreed to trade eight- verge of shaking up their 3.2 rebounds. Acquired
time All-Star center Dwight roster, too. along with D'Angelo
Howard to the Brooklyn Howard struggled to mesh Russell, Mozgov began the
Nets for center Timofey with guard Nicolas Batum, season in the starting lineup
Mozgov and two second- and the Hornets failed to but quickly fell out of the
round draft picks, a person make the playoffs despite rotation entirely on a team
familiar with the situation what former coach Steve that preferred to play small
told The Associated Press Clifford considered the and shoot 3-pointers.
on Wednesday. team's most talented roster The 7-foot-1 Mozgov has
The Hornets will get the in half a decade. not played a full 82-game
Nets' second-round pick This is a reunion of sorts for season since 2013 and
Thursday night (45th overall) Mozgov. Recently hired has averaged in double
and a second-round pick In this April 8, 2018, file photo, Charlotte Hornets' Dwight Howard Hornets general manager figures only once during
in 2021, the person said. (12) kisses the basketball before the start of an NBA basketball Mitch Kupchak signed his eight-year NBA career.
The person spoke to the AP game against the Indiana Pacers in Charlotte, N.C. Mozgov to a four-year, $64 By contrast, Howard has
on condition of anonymity Associated Press million deal in 2016 when averaged 17.4 points, 12.7
because the teams have both were with the Los rebounds and two blocks
not announced the trade contract. After later spending three Angeles Lakers. per game since joining the
and the league cannot Brooklyn will be Howard's seasons with the Houston While the move allows the league in 2004.
approve the deal until the fourth team in as many Rockets, Howard was Hornets to unload Howard's His rim protection should
trade moratorium ends on seasons. He had pushed acquired by his hometown contract and save about help what has been a
July 6. for a trade from Orlando Atlanta Hawks in 2016 as a $7 million under this year's poor defensive team and
The 32-year-old Howard to the Nets during the free agent and signed a salary cap, it is a bit of a he could help in the pick-
played only one season for 2011-12 season in hopes of three-year contract. But he gamble because Mozgov and-roll with Russell and
Charlotte, averaging 16.6 joining Deron Williams, then wore out his welcome after has two years remaining Jeremy Lin, but the biggest
points and 12.5 rebounds changed his mind and one season and was dealt on his current deal at $16 incentive to the Nets is
per game. He is due to recommitted the Magic, to Charlotte. The Hornets, million per year. likely for salary reasons with
make $23.8 million this who instead dealt him to in the midst of a major Mozgov's numbers pale in Howard's contract expiring
season, the final year of his the Lakers that summer. organizational shake-up, comparison to Howard's. after next season.q