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It seems like the Charlotte Hornets have been stuck on the NBA's treadmill of mediocrity ever since the franchise came to exist. As the Bobcats, the team never won more than 44 games and failed to advance past the first round in either of its two playoff appearances. Michael Jordan's club has been more respectable since re-branding into the Hornets before the 2014-15 season, but they are yet to get the monkey of winning a postseason series off their back — and only had the opportunity to do so once in four seasons.
Big picture, nothing has changed in 2018-19. Charlotte currently sits eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 24-25 record, with no realistic possibility of completing the type of blockbuster trade before the Feb. 7 deadline that might make it more than overlooked first-round fodder for a real championship contender. The chances of that possibility coming to fruition would cause most teams to look in the mirror and at least give passing consideration to rebuilding from the ground up, but not the Hornets.
Why? Kemba Walker still plays in Charlotte, and the team's first order of business this summer, according to coach James Borrego, is ensuring the impending free agent will remain the face of the franchise going forward.
Hornets head coach James Borrego was asked about building a sales pitch to lure players in the future. During his answer, he said, “Our No. 1 recruiting pitch is to (impending free agent) Kemba Walker.”
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) January 30, 2019
Kemba Walker, 28, began the season as one of the league's most pleasantly surprising stories, scoring 30 points or more in 11 games before the New Year — including a 60-point outing in a wild 122-119 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in mid-November.
He hasn't been quite the same player since spraining his right ankle in early December, but he was nevertheless selected as an All-Star starter for the first time in his career, an honor that takes on added significance because Charlotte is playing host to All-Star weekend.
As of now, the Hornets seem intent on extending Kemba Walker a max contract of five years, $188 million — more annual money and an extra year of security than any other suitor would be able to offer him. He's a model of respectability both on and off the floor in Charlotte where he has become the city's biggest basketball star since Larry Johnson in the early-to-mid 1990s.
Still, it bears wondering how the diminutive Walker, nearing 30, will hold up as his unparalleled quickness and overall athleticism begin to fade. Will he really be worth nearly $40 million per season in his mid-30s? The Hornets, for better or worse, appear primed to find out.
