Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker re-affirmed his commitment to the team after going back to his home state of New York, faced with a myriad of question about potentially joining the New York Knicks or the Brooklyn Nets.
After turning down any potential idea of finding another home, the two-time All-Star insisted he knows nothing else because he's only ever worn one jersey in the NBA, and now hopes to put his stamp in the team's culture moving forward.
“I just want to do something special in Charlotte,” Walker said, according to Dom Amore of The Hartford Courant. “I’ve been there eight years now, and we haven’t really been consistent as far as winning. I just want to try to establish that culture at some point. That’s what I want to do, I just want to make it a winning organization.”
The Hornets seem to be determined to do the exact same thing, as they cleaned house in the front office, bringing in Mitch Kupchak as the team's president and soon parting ways with Steve Clifford in favor of former San Antonio Spurs assistant James Borrego, who will lead the way starting in 2018-19.
Walker has been perhaps too kind to the franchise that drafted him, after being in the midst of trade rumors last season as the team tried to bundle out some of its inflated contracts with Walker as the pot-sweetener in order to start fresh.
“At first, it bothers you,” Walker said of the trade rumors. “Who wouldn’t it bother? Who wants to hear his name in trade rumors? But I’m seven years in, it’s not the first time. It’s something I’ve gotten over. What can I do?”
The Bronx native is coming off back-to-back All-Star seasons, averaging 22.1 points, 5.6 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game in 2017-18.
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