The NBA trade deadline has passed, which means that buyout season is upon us. With that said, veteran forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has seemingly found a new home. Kidd-Gilchrist has finalized a buyout with the Charlotte Hornets and, according to the ESPN's Tim MacMahon, he will be joining the Dallas Mavericks.
Kidd-Gilchrist has played his entire career in Charlotte to this point, as they selected him with the second overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft when the franchise was still known as the Bobcats. He was named to the All-Rookie Second Team in 2013, and he started in 353 games for Charlotte over the course of his first six seasons in the league. Over the past two seasons though Kidd-Gilchrist's role has decreased dramatically. He started just three times last season while his playing time dipped below 20 minutes per game for the first time in his career. This season, he has basically been a non-factor in Charlotte's rotation as he has appeared in just 12 games (no starts) and played a total of 160 minutes.
Kidd-Gilchrist holds career averages of 8.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 25.1 minutes per game. He is a career 47 percent shooter from the floor, and a 28 percent shooter from long distance. Though he's limited offensively he could be a solid pickup for a contender, such as the Mavericks, as he is a versatile defender capable of guarding a few different positions on the floor.
In addition to Kidd-Gilchrist, the Hornets are also set to buyout veteran forward Marvin Williams, who plans to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks. Per league rules, buyout players are eligible to play in the postseason for their next teams as long as they've completed their contract buyouts by March 1.
