Getty Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker
With names like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving, among others likely to hit NBA free agency this offseason, much of the focus is locked on them. But Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker is the most overlooked and underrated star of the bunch. That’s not to say that Walker doesn’t get appreciation around the NBA, but his play is on par with the other elite point guards.
As for his future in the NBA and overall outlook this offseason, that’s where things get a bit dicey. On a positive note, Walker has heaped praise on the Hornets and his time in Charlotte, telling Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Abrams in early 2019 that the city is “perfect” for him.
“I love it,” he said of Charlotte during a conversation the previous week before repeating himself for emphasis. “I love it. It’s perfect for me. The pace of the city is pretty slow, which I love. It’s not fast-paced like New York. … I’m able to just live pretty much a normal life. I’m able to go out and eat and not really be bothered. Go to the mall and walk around, not really be bothered. That’s what I like, personally. That’s the kind of life I like to live.”
Walker obviously is happy with the team who drafted him No. 9 overall in the 2011 NBA Draft, but the team’s mediocre finishes may have impacted his future plans. Since Walker joined the league, the Hornets have made the NBA playoffs twice in eight years, losing in the first round both times.
So, what’s next for Walker? It could be remaining in Charlotte, but if not, the suitors will be there, and we’re going to look at the latest on the interest around the league.
Kemba Walker as Lakers’ Free Agency Plan B?
The fact Walker is even considered a ‘Plan B’ in free agency is head-scratching, but it’s what he’s been referred to as on numerous occasions. FS1’s Rob Parker previously joined Lunchtime with Roggin and Rodney on IHeartRadio and said Walker is not what LeBron James wants to play with on the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Booby prize. I’m sorry, he is not that player and that is not what LeBron would come to play with.”
We know the Lakers want Durant or Leonard and obviously Anthony Davis via trade. Maybe they even want to make a run at Kyrie, but Kemba would drastically help the Lakers. With that said, there’s no way to even know if Walker would want to head to Los Angeles, specifically when looking at his comments on how much he likes the “pace” of Charlotte as a city.
Mavericks & Jazz Primed for Kemba Walker Free Agency Push
The Dallas Mavericks are ready to lock and load around Luka Doncic at this point, and we saw that with the Kristaps Porizingis trade. But as Marc Stein of the New York Times reported, they have interest in Walker ahead of free agency, which is certainly noteworthy.
The million dollar question for the Mavericks has to be how they view Walker as a fit next season and beyond. He’s a ball-dominant point guard, and the team has shown strong interest in keeping the ball in the hands of Doncic early and often. Obviously, that wasn’t the only reason things didn’t work with Dennis Smith Jr. (who’s not the caliber of player Kemba is), but it’s still something to consider.
As far as the Utah Jazz go, the common theme has been the chatter about how well the two would fit as a potential free agency pairing. Ricky Rubio is set to a be a free agent this offseason and the idea of Walker with Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert playing together is exciting.
On the interest front, it’s tough to envision a world where the Jazz don’t at least attempt to put a feeler out on Walker’s feelings about signing with them. Whether he’d want to head West and play there is unknown, but the fanbase wants it, and they appear to want it bad.
The Jazz are a team to watch, but as we’ve seen with the Mavericks, Lakers and of course the Hornets, there’s going to be plenty of competition for the star guard.
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