Kemba Walker throwing an alley-oop to LeBron James in the NBA Western Conference Finals?
That could’ve happened.
According to a report from Inquistr, the Los Angeles Lakers tried to lure Walker during the offseason after their failed pursuit of Kawhi Leonard. The Purple and Gold wanted a third star to join LeBron James and Anthony Davis and the high-scoring free agent guard felt like a great choice.
The report quoted an article from the New York Times, saying the Lakers really wanted the four-time All-Star after he sadly failed to negotiate for a contract extension with the Charlotte Hornets:
“But leaving Charlotte was a shock for Walker. He expected to stay, he said. Walker was eligible for a so-called supermax extension, but the Hornets came in with an offer that was less than that, conscious of paying the luxury tax. He began to consider other teams. At first, Walker said, he was heavily pursued by the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dallas Mavericks and the team he grew up closest to, the Knicks. He considered going home.”
The Lakers’ efforts, however, didn’t pan out as Walker signed instead with the Celtics, where he averaged 20.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 4.8 APG, while shooting 38.1% from long range in the regular season. He’s also been a huge lift in the Playoffs, hitting big shots for Beantown while putting up 19.6 PPG and 5.3 APG.
With the 30-year-old Walker out of the picture, the Lakers refocused their energy elsewhere in free agency, signing Avery Bradley, Danny Green, Dwight Howard, Jared Dudley, and Quinn Cook. Not exactly Walker’s caliber, but they are specialists who have made huge contributions in their hopes of reclaiming lost glory.
Follow Us
Subscribe