NBA Free Agency: How Kemba Walker’s landing spot will impact OKC
By Rylan Stiles
The OKC Thunder are not in on the Kemba Walker sweepstakes, but his landing spot could still impact the organization.
Kemba Walker’s offseason storyline has been one that has taken on so many twists and turns. Each twist can impact the OKC Thunder. While Sam Presti has pulled a few rabbits out of his hat in his day, Kemba Walker will not be one of them. But where Walker signs on the dotted line, could be the difference in OKC making or missing the postseason. This NBA Offseason will determine a lot for the OKC Thunder.
Kemba Walker will not have a contract waiting on him from OKC Thunder General Manager Sam Presti. But that does not mean he can not make or break the Thunder’s season.
When the offseason first started, it was almost guaranteed Walker would stay in Charlotte. The Hornets were prepared to offer Walker the max, Walker was saying the right things about returning, and the reports reflected that.
But as we sit just days away from NBA free agency, Walker is not destined for the Boston Celtics…for now. Rumors of him going to the Celtics swirled after it was believed that the Dallas Mavericks were also heavily in the mix.
The Los Angeles Lakers are also a team pursuing Kemba Walker’s services and on Thursday afternoon the Lakers just clear the way for a max contract spot.
Current Kemba Walker destination likelihood order, per league source:
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) June 26, 2019
1. Boston
2. Charlotte
3. Dallas (definitely in the mix, with Lakers)
Somewhere down the line: New York
Townsend’s sources tell him Charlotte is slotted for second on most likely to sign Walker, but others think there is a sizeable gap in talks between Walker and the Hornets.
All-Star Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Hornets have sizable gaps and stalemate in talks so far, opening pathway for competitors in Boston, New York and Dallas, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 27, 2019
The base case scenario for the OKC Thunder is that the star point guard stays in the Eastern Conference. No matter if that means in Boston or Charlotte.
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If Kemba Walker shifts to the Western Conference that could spell trouble for the OKC Thunder. The Western Conference is already stacked with stars, and Walker is not looking to join a playoff team from a year ago, the two teams that he is interested in as of now are Dallas and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Neither the Mavericks nor Lakers made the postseason a year ago. Adding Walker takes each core Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis for the Mavs, Anothy Davis and LeBron James for the Lakers, takes whichever team he signs with into the postseason. Walker makes both the Lakers and Mavericks better.
For one of them, or both of them depending on how the offseason goes for each squad outside of Kemba Walker, to move into the top eight, a team, or two, has to move out.
Sam Presti will be busy trying to revamp the OKC Thunder roster with no money, and limited assets after yet another first-round exit, as almost every Western Conference team, retools and revamps their roster in this arms race.
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This offseason will be an exciting one for the OKC Thunder, and across the NBA. Stay tuned to TI for all the latest news.