Kemba Walker Considered By Some Around NBA More Likely To Leave Hornets

[RealGM Wiretap]

The Charlotte Hornets resisted trade offers at the 2018 deadline and the subsequent offseason on Kemba Walker and he responded by having an All-Star season. Walker will be a free agent and his future with the Hornets is unclear as they struggle to remain in the playoff picture.

Sam Amick of The Athletic suggested many around the league expect Walker to leave the Hornets.

"At this point, based on scuttlebutt around the league but without direct clarity from his side, it feels like he's more likely to leave than stay," wrote Amick.

Walker figures to receive max contract offers this offseason from multiple teams given the amount of cap space on the open market.

Via Sam Amick/The Athletic

[Joest2003]

Good. Hornets have shown over and over again they have no ability to draft young talent and put together anything that resembles a winning roster.
Batum locked up for 25 million for about 4 more years. Fanbase dogged him for his first 5 season calling him a 6th man and a bust.

Hornets don't deserve Kemba.

As the way the team is structured now if Walker resigns they will have no cap space to sign anyone else thanks to Batums franchise crippling contract.
They will essentially be the same or worse. Why in the world would he sign up for 5 more years of that?

[stinger14]

Good. Hornets have shown over and over again they have no ability to draft young talent and put together anything that resembles a winning roster.
Batum locked up for 25 million for about 4 more years. Fanbase dogged him for his first 5 season calling him a 6th man and a bust.

Hornets don't deserve Kemba.

As the way the team is structured now if Walker resigns they will have no cap space to sign anyone else thanks to Batums franchise crippling contract.
They will essentially be the same or worse. Why in the world would he sign up for 5 more years of that?

Completely false about the Batum contract and the potential cap space for the Hornets. First off, Marvin, MKG, Biyombo, and Parker give them 51 million in expirings after one more season. Batum is not signed for 4 more years, he has one year plus a player option left, so 2 years at most. This offseason will be rough, but there will be cap space galore for the next two offseasons.

The hope would be to sign Kemba, wait one more year and hope that Kupchak can do what Cho was terrible at, which is use 2 offseasons with cap space to build around Kemba.

Last, Kemba may leave Charlotte, but I would be surprised if he did. The guy loves Charlotye, very involved in many things on the area, building a new house right now, and you can see the glow on his face when speaking about his love for the city. Of course, all kinds of media people will try to do their best to push the narrative of him leaving for a bigger market.

[puja21]

There are a few worse contracts out there than Batum, who is at least a glue guy who does the little things with no regard for his number of shots, fame or playing time

Wall for sure
Parsons "was" worse, although after lots of suffering it mercifully wraps before Batum

Probably these guys too based on years: Wiggins, CP3, Drummond/Blake together

I would say Love, but the team is in a place where he doesn't hurt their goals, and he's probably still a plus player in the trade market

[Ballerhogger]

I wonder if the hawks would make run at him?

[316Hornets]

He won't leave. Kemba is afraid of pressure and Charlotte will give him max money and no pressure at all. He can't be any worse than Batum so fans will always have his back in Charlotte compared to a big city like NY or LA.

[eLo]

Good. Hornets have shown over and over again they have no ability to draft young talent and put together anything that resembles a winning roster.
Batum locked up for 25 million for about 4 more years. Fanbase dogged him for his first 5 season calling him a 6th man and a bust.

Hornets don't deserve Kemba.

As the way the team is structured now if Walker resigns they will have no cap space to sign anyone else thanks to Batums franchise crippling contract.
They will essentially be the same or worse. Why in the world would he sign up for 5 more years of that?

Completely false about the Batum contract and the potential cap space for the Hornets. First off, Marvin, MKG, Biyombo, and Parker give them 51 million in expirings after one more season. Batum is not signed for 4 more years, he has one year plus a player option left, so 2 years at most. This offseason will be rough, but there will be cap space galore for the next two offseasons.

The hope would be to sign Kemba, wait one more year and hope that Kupchak can do what Cho was terrible at, which is use 2 offseasons with cap space to build around Kemba.

Last, Kemba may leave Charlotte, but I would be surprised if he did. The guy loves Charlotye, very involved in many things on the area, building a new house right now, and you can see the glow on his face when speaking about his love for the city. Of course, all kinds of media people will try to do their best to push the narrative of him leaving for a bigger market.

He won't leave. Kemba is afraid of pressure and Charlotte will give him max money and no pressure at all. He can't be any worse than Batum so fans will always have his back in Charlotte compared to a big city like NY or LA.

first, ok if he is so afraid and dont want to win then ok, if he is not such wuss than every other team in nba will give him max contract, and second, Hornets are like one season to late with this cap sapce to keep Kemba

[donemilio21]

There are a few worse contracts out there than Batum, who is at least a glue guy who does the little things with no regard for his number of shots, fame or playing time

Wall for sure
Parsons "was" worse, although after lots of suffering it mercifully wraps before Batum

Probably these guys too based on years: Wiggins, CP3, Drummond/Blake together

I would say Love, but the team is in a place where he doesn't hurt their goals, and he's probably still a plus player in the trade market

Blake is in his 2nd year of his max extension and averaging career highs in points and assists. Just FYI-

[tribulations]

Amicable divorce would benefit both sides.

Hornets need to reboot. Walker is ready to win now.

[Vegeta10176]

Good. Hornets have shown over and over again they have no ability to draft young talent and put together anything that resembles a winning roster.
Batum locked up for 25 million for about 4 more years. Fanbase dogged him for his first 5 season calling him a 6th man and a bust.

Hornets don't deserve Kemba.

As the way the team is structured now if Walker resigns they will have no cap space to sign anyone else thanks to Batums franchise crippling contract.
They will essentially be the same or worse. Why in the world would he sign up for 5 more years of that?

Completely false about the Batum contract and the potential cap space for the Hornets. First off, Marvin, MKG, Biyombo, and Parker give them 51 million in expirings after one more season. Batum is not signed for 4 more years, he has one year plus a player option left, so 2 years at most. This offseason will be rough, but there will be cap space galore for the next two offseasons.

The hope would be to sign Kemba, wait one more year and hope that Kupchak can do what Cho was terrible at, which is use 2 offseasons with cap space to build around Kemba.

Last, Kemba may leave Charlotte, but I would be surprised if he did. The guy loves Charlotye, very involved in many things on the area, building a new house right now, and you can see the glow on his face when speaking about his love for the city. Of course, all kinds of media people will try to do their best to push the narrative of him leaving for a bigger market.

He won't leave. Kemba is afraid of pressure and Charlotte will give him max money and no pressure at all. He can't be any worse than Batum so fans will always have his back in Charlotte compared to a big city like NY or LA.

first, ok if he is so afraid and dont want to win then ok, if he is not such wuss than every other team in nba will give him max contract, and second, Hornets are like one season to late with this cap sapce to keep Kemba

They have his bird rights you realize that right?

[Vegeta10176]

The team that gives Kemba a max contract will regret be is not worth it.. A short PG aging who can't play defence.. 100 percent overrated don't pay it..

[puja21]

There are a few worse contracts out there than Batum, who is at least a glue guy who does the little things with no regard for his number of shots, fame or playing time

Wall for sure
Parsons "was" worse, although after lots of suffering it mercifully wraps before Batum

Probably these guys too based on years: Wiggins, CP3, Drummond/Blake together

I would say Love, but the team is in a place where he doesn't hurt their goals, and he's probably still a plus player in the trade market

Blake is in his 2nd year of his max extension and averaging career highs in points and assists. Just FYI-

Yes 2nd year; LA traded that contract almost the moment they signed it. That says "something"

Blake of course(!) is a great/skilled player and is having a great year -- I'd still say that together, with those 2 contracts combined, the Pistons will probably never get out of the first round of the East. Drummond same as Dwight/Deandre can't be trusted to be on the floor in crunch time of a playoff game. While Blake is one of the best facilitators from the 4, doesn't defend and I also wouldn't want him on the FT with the game on the line.