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Trail Blazers trade Batum to Hornets for Vonleh, Henderson

Craig Mitchelldyer / Reuters

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The Portland Trail Blazers have completed a deal to send 26-year-old Nicolas Batum to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Noah Vonleh and Gerald Henderson, as first reported by Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.

Entering the final year of a four-year contract, Batum is set to make $11.8 million and has spent his entire seven-year career with Portland after being selected 25th overall in 2008.

Batum is coming off his worst scoring season since his rookie year, having averaged 9.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists on 40 percent shooting from the field and 32.4 percent from 3-point range in 71 games.

Moving Batum will not be the first step of a major rebuild for the franchise, Wojnarowski reports. Four-time NBA All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge, set to become an unrestricted free agent, was reportedly aware of the trade beforehand.

Portland was extremely deep at the wing positions during the season, but that can change in a hurry with Wesley Matthews entering unrestricted free agency and Arron Afflalo declining his $7.75 million player option.

Henderson recently opted in to the final year of his contract for $6 million after putting up 12.1 points on 43.7 percent shooting for the 33-49 Hornets.

Vonleh - selected ninth overall in last year's draft - was a non-factor in coach Steve Clifford's rotation all season long, appearing in just 25 games and scoring 83 total points.

The Hornets are shopping power forward Cody Zeller "hard" to secure an upgrade at the 2 or 3 spot, per Wojnarowski. Shooting guard Lance Stephenson, who averaged 8.2 points in 61 appearances for the Hornets last season, was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on June 15 for Matt Barnes and Spencer Hawes.

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