Marvin Williams was garnering plenty of interest this past summer from other teams but despite that, the Charlotte Hornets re-signed the power forward.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, “Hornets forward Marvin Williams confirmed Friday that the Magic expressed an interest in him during last summer’s free-agency period.” Even though it has almost been a year since then, it is still an interesting story. Luckily for the Charlotte Hornets, they were able to retain their starting power forward.
After a career-best season last year, there were a number of teams interested in signing Williams. The Minnesota Timberwolves, the Brooklyn Nets and the Dallas Mavericks were a few teams rumored to be pursuing Marvin. As it turns out, Orlando Magic was another possible destination.
Instead of leaving, the power forward decided to return to the Hornets as he re-signed on a four-year, $54.5 million deal. Marvin reportedly signed for less than his market value so that he could come back to Charlotte. The contract includes a player option and Williams was signed using Early Bird which created some cap space for the team. (Spotrac)
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The 30-year old is averaging 11.3 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game and 1.3 assists per game so far this season. Williams is also shooting 42% from the field and 35.3% from the three-point line. He has only missed six games this year while averaging 29.6 minutes per game.
While Marvin has regressed a bit from last season, he is still an integral part of the Hornets’ team. His leadership and locker room presence was a large reason as to why Steve Clifford and Charlotte wanted him back after the largely successful year that they had in the 2015-16 campaign.
The report from the Orlando Sentinel also added that “The Magic coveted Williams for his leadership qualities, his ability to play both forward positions and his 3-point shooting.”
His versatility and stretch four potential made him a target for a number of teams in free agency. As the NBA shifts towards big men who can not only shoot but also defend by using their agility and quickness on both ends of the court, Marvin was the prime candidate for that exact role.
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Even though Williams has only spent three seasons with the Hornets, he has found a home in Charlotte and looks to remain in the Queen City long term. Most expected Marvin to re-sign this past offseason and both sides came to terms on his current deal. It would’ve been strange to see him in an Orlando Magic jersey.