Veteran shooting guard Courtney Lee has been moved by the Memphis Grizzlies to the Charlotte Hornets in a three-team deal that included the Miami Heat on Tuesday.

The Grizzlies get center Chris Andersen, former Hornets shooting guard P.J. Hairston, and a pair of second-round draft picks (a total of four) from both Charlotte and Miami. The Heat settle for ex-Hornet point guard Brian Roberts in an obvious salary dump deal for their part.

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Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski noted that "one of the Heat's second-round picks going to Memphis is heavily protected" and that the trade "also is a significant cost-saving move for Miami".

Of the three teams involved in the transaction, it looks like the Hornets got the better end with the acquisition of eight-year pro Lee.

The 30-year-old is averaging 10.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 51 games for Memphis so far this season. He is shooting 37.0 percent from beyond the three-point line and is a reliable backcourt partner for Mike Conley.

Lee could surely duplicate what he did for Conley to also help Charlotte's starting point guard Kemba Walker improve his game.

Wojnarowski said that Hornets head coach Steve Clifford is planning to place Lee in the starting backcourt together with Walker, which in effect putting current two-guard starter Nicolas Batum to slide to the small forward spot.

Resident no. 3 starter Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was again sidelined with a shoulder injury that required surgery and so the timing was perfect for Michael Jordan's club.

Meanwhile, Memphis might have agreed to the deal in order to bring in Andersen for additional depth to a frontline in serious trouble because of the recent fractured right foot of resident center Marc Gasol. Team doctors are still evaluating if it would need surgery, which will determine the length of the Spaniard's absence.

"We are excited to be adding a quality veteran wing player to our roster in Courtney Lee," said Hornets GM Rich Cho, via ESPN.

"Courtney has proven to be a team defender, a consistent outside shooter and a solid scorer in our league for the past eight years. Particularly in terms of experience, he adds depth to our roster in a position of need for us and we expect him to fit in to our system and contribute right away," he added.

TagsCourtney Lee, Memphis Grizzlies, Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, NBA News & Rumors