It’s possible to love all Kemba Walker does for the Charlotte Hornets and still have concerns about the long-term ramifications of him receiving a massive, new five-year contract.
I’ve thought about this topic for a while, so I’m glad I got a question for this week’s mailbag as a leaping-off point for discussion. No matter how the Hornets respond to All-Star point guard Walker reaching unrestricted free agency in July, there is considerable risk.
Not re-signing him, and you lose the best player this franchise has had since the NBA returned to Charlotte in 2004. Re-sign him - at a cost that could exceed $150 million - and you are making a massive bet on both his longevity and the front office’s ability to surround him with enough talent to start winning playoff series.