Shaun Livingston: 5 potential landing spots in 2017 NBA free agency
2. Charlotte Hornets
After trading for Dwight Howard and declining Ramon Sessions‘ option, backup point guard is Charlotte’s one remaining need.
As the cream of that particular market’s crop, Rich Cho should attempt to swoop Livingston as quick as Bob Myers did on July 1 of 2014. Not only can he give any team elite second-unit minutes, but he blends especially well with the rest of Charlotte’s guard rotation.
Kemba Walker and Malik Monk are both undersized for their positions, love to fire away from deep and have a knack for getting to the rim. Livingston is big, plays inside the arc and is better at cutting/finding cutters than he is at blowing by guys.
Related Story: 5 potential landing spots for Andre Iguodala in free agency
The fit makes sense on Livingston’s end, too. The Hornets are not the Warriors, but should be better than any realistic suitor outside of Golden State. With Livingston, they become contenders for the No. 4 spot in the East.
They can’t offer him quite as much as the cellar dwellers on this list, but they can give him their full Mid-Level Exception ($8.4 million), and may be willing to guarantee a third year. Given the terms most teams will offer him, that could be the difference.