Brian Roberts Agrees to Sign with Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to sign Portland Trail Blazers free agent point guard Brian Roberts for the veteran's minimum salary, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.

The @hornets are bringing back Brian Roberts to be third point guard. Veteran minimum contract.

— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) July 6, 2016

Roberts came to the Blazers at the trade deadline, along with a 2021 second rounder, from the Miami Heat. He was traded by the Hornets to the Heat only a few days before he was flipped to the Blazers, as a way for the Heat to avoid the dreaded repeater luxury tax. As others noted, his family stayed in Charlotte after he was dealt.

Roberts, 30, played for the Hornets for the entire 2014-15 season and appeared in 30 games for the Hornets last season before being traded. He rarely saw the floor for the Blazers during his time in Portland, playing in 21 games but averaging just six minutes per game when he did play.

Roberts is a career 35.3 percent 3-point shooter and appeared in the playoffs for the first time in his career as a member of the Blazers. He has shown an ability to score and create in pick-and-roll situations during his four NBA seasons.

The writing was on the wall that Roberts had played his last game for the Blazers when they reportedly acquired point guard Shabazz Napier from the Orlando Magic. Napier, 24, is a younger and cheaper option. Napier is slated to make $1.35 million next season, which is slightly less than the $1.5 million veteran minimum the Hornets will reportedly pay Roberts.

Napier has a team-option on his deal for next season at $2.36 million, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders.