NBA Rumors: Hornets Could Replace Kemba Walker With Celtics Backup PG Terry Rozier In 2019 Free Agency
Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker and his impending free agency has been one of the most talked about topics in the league in the past few months. When the 2018-19 NBA season officially came to an end, the Hornets revealed that they are planning to do everything they can to bring Kemba Walker back in the 2019 NBA free agency. Walker even expressed his willingness to take a discount on his next contract to help the Hornets to improve their roster this summer.
Unfortunately, in their recent contract negotiation, Kemba Walker and the Hornets have reportedly failed to reach a mutual agreement, making the All-Star point guard decide to entertain offers from other NBA teams heading into the 2019 NBA free agency. Several NBA teams have already express interest in acquiring Walker and as of now, the Boston Celtics are emerging as the frontrunner to sign him this summer.
According to a Twitter post by Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, Walker informed the Hornets that he is planning to sign a four-year, $141 million max contract with the Celtics as an unrestricted free agent.
“@KembaWalker has conveyed to the @hornets he intends to sign with the Boston Celtics once free-agent contracts are allowed July 6, multiple sources say.”
Going their separate ways in the 2019 NBA free agency might end up being the best move for Kemba Walker and the Hornets. The Celtics’ roster may mostly consist of young players, but with Walker on their side, they have a more realistic chance of competing for a playoff spot next season than the Hornets. Meanwhile, Walker has undeniably done many great things for Charlotte, but committing a huge amount of money on him without seeing a clear path to title contention will do the Hornets more harm than good.
Yahoo Sources: Boston Celtics to renounce the rights of Terry Rozier to set him free for the arrival of Kemba Walker. https://t.co/RfLEIVigyc
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 29, 2019
As of now, the Hornets would be better off undergoing a full-scale rebuild and entrusting the future of their franchise to their young core. As Kemba Walker’s departure draws closer, the Hornets are reportedly active on the free agency market, searching for a new starting point guard. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, as quoted by NESN, one of the top targets for the Hornets is Terry Rozier of the Boston Celtics.
“As Kemba Walker continues to be poised to sign elsewhere, Charlotte has begun to target point guards, such as Celtics free agent Terry Rozier, league sources said. Rozier is a target for the New York Knicks, too.”
To prepare for the arrival of Kemba Walker, the Celtics have renounced the rights to Terry Rozier to make him an unrestricted free agent. It remains unknown if Rozier has any interest in signing with the Hornets, but in the middle of the 2018-19 NBA season, the Celtics backup point guard said that when he becomes a free agent, he wants to sign with a team that can give him a starting role and a huge payday.
