NBA Trade Rumors: Kemba Walker To Philly For A Package Centered On Markelle Fultz, ‘Bleacher Report’ Suggests
Since the start of the 2018 NBA offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers have been looking for a superstar who can help them become more competitive in the upcoming 2018-19 NBA season. Their current roster, which is led by rising superstars Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, undeniably has the capability to make a huge impact in the LeBron James-less Eastern Conference. However, most people still don’t see the 76ers on the level of other Eastern Conference powerhouse teams like the Boston Celtics and the Toronto Raptors.
Last season, the Celtics managed to eliminate the 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, despite not having Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. With both superstars set to return 100 percent healthy, the Celtics are expected to be a more dangerous team next season. Meanwhile, the Raptors just got better when they traded a package centered on DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.
If the 76ers want to have a higher chance of fully dominating the Eastern Conference, trading for another superstar is a must. According to Sean Highkin of Bleacher Report, the Sixers could target Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Hornets.
“While patience was pivotal in getting the Sixers through the darkest parts of The Process, should last season’s 52-win breakout propel them to accelerate their plans? It almost has to if they want to keep pace with the full-strength Boston Celtics and Kawhi Leonard-led Toronto Raptors. After striking out on big-ticket free agents this summer, Philly should look to the trade market for difference-makers. This swap might deliver two, albeit one who’s entering the final year of his deal and another who’s grossly overcompensated.”
What’s Jeremy Lamb’s future with ?@hornets?? Also, your questions on Kemba Walker, Tony Parker, Malik Monk and more.https://t.co/YT8HRXpSDY
— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) September 2, 2018
Kemba Walker will surely love the idea of being traded to one of the top three teams in the Eastern Conference. At this point in his career, Walker’s top priority is winning. His potential arrival in Philadelphia will undeniably boost the 76ers’ performance, especially on the offensive end of the floor. In the 80 games he played last season, the 28-year-old point guard averaged 22.1 points, 5.6 assists, and 1.1 steals on 43.1 percent shooting from the field, and 38.4 percent from beyond the arc.
In the proposed trade deal by Bleacher Report, the Sixers would send Markelle Fultz, Robert Covington, Wilson Chandler, and Furkan Korkmaz to the Hornets for Kemba Walker and Nic Batum. The deal works on ESPN‘s NBA Trade Machine.
The suggested trade makes sense for the Hornets, especially if they decide to undergo a different route. Aside from acquiring young and promising talents who can help them speed up the rebuilding process, the deal allows the Hornets to get rid of Nicolas Batum and his lucrative deal.
