The Charlotte Hornets will head into this upcoming season with only one guaranteed starter. New head coach James Borrego says that man is star point guard Kemba Walker, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
The Hornets have tried to reassemble the pieces for a playoff run, first dealing Dwight Howard away and then signing veteran Tony Parker to a two-year deal to mentor Walker and some of the team's younger pieces.
Walker has elevated his game to an All-Star level, receiving the nod in the last two seasons after improving his decision-making and 3-point prowess.
The Hornets have been willing to move the likes of Nicolas Batum and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist due to their oversized contracts — something they will likely need to do sooner than later if they hope to offer Walker a max contract next offseason.
Borrego interviewed for the job of head coach without having met owner Michael Jordan or the dual front-office heads of Mitch Kupchak and Buzz Peterson — a true testament of his reputation as a coach under San Antonio Spurs headmaster Gregg Popovich.
Walker will be the outright leader of this team heading into 2018-19, and the entire franchise will likely need to emanate that same sentiment if they hope to keep him in free agency.
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