Hornets GM Rich Cho says he wants to re-sign F Josh McRoberts after opting out of contract

Hornets general manager Rich Cho says forward Josh McRoberts has opted out of his contract and will become a free agent.

However, Cho said Wednesday at a pre-draft news conference the team is eager to re-sign the seven-year NBA veteran.

McRoberts, 27, was set to make nearly $2.8 million next season, but has outperformed that contract. He started a career-high 78 games last season for Charlotte and averaged 8.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.

Cho says it's important for the Hornets to re-sign McRoberts, saying "He was a big part of our team. ... He's such a great passer, a connector to the team. And he's a great teammate also."

Charlotte went 43-39 last season and made the playoffs for the first time since 2010.