Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker is up for unrestricted free agency this summer. There has been a lot of speculation as to where he might land, but it sounds like he might be open to the idea of taking less money to stay in Charlotte, according to a report from Nick Carboni of NBC Charlotte.
I asked Kemba Walker if he would take less than the Super Max to help #Hornets team build around him: “Yeah I would take less. Sure why not. I would take less.” pic.twitter.com/3vzNWw8Ntf
— Nick Carboni (@NickCarboniWCNC) June 13, 2019
Walker, now 29 years of age, will be highly sought after in free agency, as he's one of the best point guards in the NBA. He's known as a great ball handler and facilitator, but he's also a savvy defender.
Walker played in all 82 regular season games for the Hornets this season, racking up averages of 25.6 points on 43.4 percent shooting from the field (35.6 percent from beyond the arc), 5.9 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 34.9 minutes per outing. For the record: his 25.6 points per game were a career-high.
Article Continues BelowKemba has been with the Hornets his entire career, which could be why he might consider taking less money to stay onboard. Other teams are said to have interest in his services, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks.
Walker earned his first career All-NBA selection this season. As a result, he is now eligible for big time payday. In fact, the Hornets can offer him up to five years and $221.3 million in a supermax deal. Had he failed to make an All-NBA roster, however, the max offer Charlotte could have given was five years and $189.7 million.
Whether or not Walker will be with the Hornets next season remains to be seen, but it sounds like it's not outside the realm of possibility.