The Charlotte Hornets are facing a daunting task of not only re-signing Kemba Walker this summer but also being able to build a competitive team around him. The All-Star guard has been with the franchise for eight years now, but they haven't been able to give him a roster that's capable of getting past the first round of the playoffs.
However, president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak admitted that the Hornets may find it hard to keep Kemba and build a competitive roster next season. In an interview with Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, Kupchak said that re-signing Walker to potentially a max deal will limit the team financially, which could also hinder them from making the moves that they want.
“You’re talking about a substantial contract that goes out many years. When that happens, it creates some financial inflexibility that you have to deal with,” Kupchak said. “We have to be mindful of a Kemba contract, should we be lucky enough to re-sign him. There could be limitations (on other roster moves), absolutely.”
The Hornets are already financially handcuffed with all the huge contracts they have on the roster at the moment. Re-signing Walker will definitely make things more difficult for them in free agency.
Charlotte is not considered as a desirable destination for free agents, so if the team won't be able to pay the players what they need, the franchise could potentially strike out on most of their targets.
Although Walker has already said that he's willing to take less money to remain with the Hornets, it is unlikely that he'll take less than $20 million per year in his new deal. Moreover, there are teams that will go after him that can pay him either the max or give him the opportunity to win a championship.
The Hornets will have at least a week to figure out their approach this summer. But one thing is for sure: if they lose Walker, that would definitely hurt the franchise's plans to become a contender.
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