2:53pm: Updating his earlier report, Stein indicates that Boston is no longer a “stealth” suitor for Walker, tweeting that the Celtics and Mavericks will be at the front of the line for Kemba when free agency begins.
12:03pm: With the Celtics‘ roster and cap situation in a state of flux, the team is emerging as a “stealth suitor” for All-NBA point guard Kemba Walker, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (via Twitter).
The Celtics’ situation is a fluid one, according to Stein (via Twitter), who acknowledges that the team will weigh a number of options to address both its backcourt and frontcourt. Kyrie Irving and Al Horford are expected to sign elsewhere and Aron Baynes is heading to Phoenix, while Terry Rozier and Marcus Morris are also free agents.
If the Celtics renounce all those players, they should have enough cap room to make a maximum-salary offer to a player like Walker, adding him to a core that features Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart. However, it sounds like that’s just one of the options that president of basketball operations Danny Ainge will consider.
The Mavericks and Lakers are among the teams believed to be eyeing Walker, who has also been frequently linked to the Knicks. For his part, Kemba has said that the Hornets remain his first priority and has indicated he’s open to accepting less than the super-max to return to Charlotte.
That super-max deal would be worth a projected $221MM+ over five years. A standard max with the Hornets projects to be worth just shy of $190MM over five seasons, while a rival suitor could offer Walker up to about $141MM for four years.
it would make sense but I have a feeling kemba gonna sign with Charlotte and stay there for his career
He’d make the most money and be a legend in Charlotte. Probably would never even make it to the Conference finals though.
Oooh… a legend in Charlotte! That’s, um…something?
Who cares? Its 221 Million. How can anyone turn that down? I don’t care how trash my team is I take that.
Charlotte is not Wyoming, man. Just because the team is a joke doesn’t mean the entire city is. I’ve been there. It’s a nice place and it’s in the top 20 of most populated cities in the nation.
It’s based on comparison to other pro athletes. 1/2 Mourning, 1/2 Grandmama, Mugsey, and Del? That’s the nba legacy.
It’s all up to Jordan. I don’t see super max. I’m having a hard time seeing the full 5 year home team max either, but I wouldn’t rule it out. I think any 5 year offer at or about max ends it before it gets started.
If MJ offers 4 years, at or about what an outside team can offer, then I think KW takes a look at the market.
Oh man that would be stupid from the celtics perspective, locking big money into guys like gordon hayward and kemba walker wont take you much farther than the Hornets, holefully kemba sees that and takes the most money.
I bet that MJ will.. oh man, can i write “MJ” and “bet” so close?
Well, i think MJ will offerta kemba 1$ more than other teams, no more
I will say the city has been better in recent years. I don’t want to say the problems are gone, but certainly better. I’d imagine it might be horrible to play for an away team, because some people are awful, but you don’t hear any of them yelling things of that nature at the home team from games I’ve been to recently
The Celtics were the:
1st team to draft an African American
1st team to have an all African American starting 5
1st team to hire an African American head coach
Young black men are being killed by cops all over the country for minor infractions or even no infraction at all but Boston is just the worst…right?
If you want to play that game if Boston is so great for black people why did Russell’s house get robbed and why in general did he get treated like crap while winning title after title?
Russell’s house got robbed in 1963. 56 years ago. Was there a city in the U.S in 1963 that I don’t know about that wasn’t having racial acceptance issues? I’m so tired of listening to this Boston is racist crap. I grew up in Boston, lived here my whole life. Boston is no more racist than any other city. You trolls need something better to talk about.
Actually I didn’t mention the Celtics but the city of Boston. BTW the Red Sox were the last to integrate. You might want to read the following:
link to adage.com
All over the country?!?!
lol @ thinking danny ainge released/traded aaron baynes to max-out an overrated point guard?? bwahaha!! smh #fakenews
All Ainge does is make trades to get first round picks that usually end up as trash. Only reason Brown and Tatum are good is because it is pretty hard to screw up in the top 3.
what? danny traded kg, pp, shuttleworth for first rd picks. he sucks at late round drafting but great at trading ie traded marcus thornton for kyrie
Ray Allen didn’t get traded… And DA didn’t read Thornton straight up for Kyrie…in a round about way the IT trade led to Kyrie, I guess
Everybody sucks at late round drafting. How many great second round picks are there per year? If you get a player you can keep in your rotation in the second round, that’s a job well done…
Well, race riots in LA were much better than that!
Fools.
Boston needs size they traded baynes and are losing horford they have no veteran bigs
I think the Celtics need a big more than a Guard. I think it is time to see what Smart can do as a starter. We can go over the cap for Rozier anyway on his QO.
sign kemba and trade smart for capela.
I like that idea.. but I’m sure it would take more than just smart to get him
I’m guessing a 4/152, $33MM per for Walker. It is an overpay, but so is 4/140 for another team, and Boston can do better.
Boston has a lot to integrate already with the fine rookie class and young players with distinctive styles (Theis, Yabusele, Rbt Wlms). Top priority is a power center since the forwards will be Tatum & Hayward.
Like Kemba but a trade for Adams or Capela makes more sense
If Danny can get Rozier just on a 1 Year QO. I say run with that. Throw a big money 1 Dedmon see if bites. I would like to see what Smart could do running the show myself. Bring back IT on a good 1 year we love ya deal for 6 man.
I kind of like the idea of bringing IT back… I think he’d have a nice season if he were on the Celtics. But as far as wanting to see what Smart does running the show himself… I really don’t see that as anything all that special. it’s not like he’s even all that young anymore – I feel like he’s already reached his ceiling and while he’s a VERY solid player. It’s not like he’s going to all of a sudden turn into a superstar being the primary PG – I think they need more than Smart at the 1 to be honest.
I’m with you. Take Rozier for the year and try to sign Dedmon. I’m not sure what the cap/salaries will be when all these players sign, but if the C’s could pull Vuc & Dedmon, with a 1 year on Rozier they’ll be good to go.
The Celtics need front court help, not a PG. If/when Morris and Horford leave, who’s starting at the 4-5? Tatum and ? Who’s the backups?
Celtics would be wise to splurge on the best star available to him. Next year’s FA crop sucks with Draymond Green being he best FA and he’s likely to stay with GSW and isn’t as valuable a player without other stars around him.