Hornets get Belinelli from Kings for No. 22 pick

CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte Hornets have traded out of the NBA draft — for now.

The Hornets dealt their only draft pick — the No. 22 selection overall — to the Sacrament Kings in exchange for veteran shooting guard Marco Belinelli, a person familiar with the situation said Thursday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade won't become official until after the NBA's new salary cap season begins on July 7. That means Charlotte will pick for Sacramento at No. 22.

Belinelli signed a $19 million, three-year deal to join the Kings as a free agent last summer but did not fit in well with the team. The Hornets will be on the hook for $13.26 million over the next two seasons for Belinelli.

The 30-year-old Belinelli shot a career-worst 30.6 percent from 3-point range last season and struggled defensively. He scored 10.2 points per game, mostly coming off the bench.

He is a career 37.9 percent shooter from 3-point range and has started 216 career games.

The nine-year NBA veteran has played for six teams during his career, winning an NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2013-14. Belinelli has averaged 9.5 points and 1.6 assists per game during his career and shoots 42.4 percent from the field.

Belinelli, from Italy, spent his first two seasons with Golden State, before moving on to Toronto, where he spent one season. He spent two seasons with New Orleans and a year with Chicago before joining the Spurs in 2013-14, where he was the 3-point shootout champion.

The move could be an admission the Hornets will not be able re-sign either Courtney Lee or Jeremy Lin — or possibly both — in free agency. The Hornets have eight free agents and have said their top priority is to re-sign Nicolas Batum.

The Hornets don't have a second-round pick, but they could make another move.

The Hornets selected Malachi Richardson of Syracuse University as the 22^nd pick.

Associated Press