Hornets sign guard Theo Maledon to two-way contract
The Charlotte Hornets have signed guard Theo Maledon to a two-way deal. This move comes three days after he was waived by the Houston Rockets.
Guard Bryce McGowens fills the other two-way spot. A week ago, the Hornets signed forward Xavier Sneed to an Exhibit 10 contract. And forward Isaiah Whaley was released by the team.
Some NBA betting sites give the Hornets the 10th-lowest chance of winning the championship in 2023. However, a handful of bettors are expecting Charlotte to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
It appears that both Moe Harkless and Theo Maledon have cleared waivers and are now unrestricted free agents.
Houston has dead-money cap hits for Harkless ($4,564,980) and Maledon ($1,900,000) this season.
The Rockets lead the NBA with more than $52 million in dead money this season.
—Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 13, 2022
Last month, the Oklahoma City Thunder traded Maledon, Derrick Favors, Maurice Harkless, Ty Jerome and two second-round picks in the 2026 draft to the Houston Rockets for Sterling Brown, Trey Burke, Marquese Chriss and David Nwaba.
Maledon was selected 34th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2020 NBA Draft.
However, he was later traded to the Thunder, along with Al Horford, Vasilije Micic and a 2025 first-round draft pick for Terrance Ferguson, Danny Green and Vincent Poirier.
Hornets sign free agent guard Theo Maledon to two-way deal
During his 2020-21 rookie season with the Thunder, in 65 appearances, the point guard averaged 10.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Additionally, he shot 36.8% from the field and 33.5% from the 3-point line.
In 51 games played last season, Maledon posted 7.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He also shot 37.5% from the ground and 29.3% from center. Statistically, the guard regressed in his second season.
While with Oklahoma City Blue, the team’s NBA G League affiliate, the guard averaged 13.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game in eight appearances.
Before the 2022-23 season, Maledon will spend his time with the Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets’ G League affiliate.
From 2017 to 2020, the Frenchman played with ASVEL, an LNB Pro A professional basketball club. In the 2018-19 season, Maledon averaged a career-high 7.4 points per game in the LNB Pro A.
The following season, the point guard tied his career-high scoring average in the EuroLeague. Additionally, he posted 1.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in 22 games.
In addition, he helped ASVEL become LNB Pro A champions and win the Coupe de France in 2019. Maledon won the LNB Pro A as the best young player and was named the MVP of the Coupe de France final.
Then, during the 2019-20 season, Maledon averaged 6.5 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 20 games. Not to mention he shot 39% from the field.
As for his contract with the Hornets, this signing makes sense. Theo Maledon takes the second two-way spot on the list. So the team is ready for the 2022-23 season.
On Wednesday, October 19, the Hornets open their season against the San Antonio Spurs.
