Longtime San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker has agreed to a deal with the Charlotte Hornets, Yahoo Sports’ Shams Charania reports.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the the contract is for two years and worth $10 million.
Current Hornets forward and fellow countryman of Parker’s Nicolas Batum appeared to be the one who actually broke the news first.
Number 9, I see you soon in Buzz City my big bro… x
— Nicolas Batum (@nicolas88batum) July 6, 2018
For Parker, this marks the end of a 17-season run with the Spurs, the team that originally drafted him in 2001.
He departs the Spurs as the club’s all-time assists leader (6,829), and second behind only Tim Duncan in the team’s all-time games played list (1,198).
A six-time all-star, Parker won four championships with the Spurs and was named Finals MVP in 2007.
With the departure of Parker and retirement of Duncan in 2016, the only remaining member of the Spurs’ highly touted big three during the 2000’s is Manu Ginobili.
Parker now joins a Hornets team finished 10th in the Eastern Conference last season and hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2016.
The 36-year-old will likely step in as all-star point guard Kemba Walker‘s backup and, given the reported term of the contract, could also act as a short-term insurance policy in case Walker, who will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, leaves Charlotte.
Last season, Parker averaged 7.7 points and 3.5 assists while shooting 45.9 per cent from the field in 55 games played with the Spurs.
This could be the beginning of the end of what has been a remarkable era for the Spurs with the club also dealing with the mess that is the Kawhi Leonard situation as well.
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