The most important player on each and every NBA team this season

By Ti Windisch | Aug 28, 2018

CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 08: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defended by Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 8, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

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CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 26: Kemba Walker #15 of the Charlotte Hornets reacts to a play against the New York Knicks on March 26, 2018 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Charlotte Hornets — Kemba Walker

The Charlotte Hornets roster is almost entirely made up of players who are either entirely unheralded or grossly overpaid. There are a couple exceptions to that: Cody Zeller is pretty good, and Kemba Walker is the support beam that keeps the entire franchise from the absolute bottom of the NBA.

While Kemba keeping the Hornets at least playoff-adjacent may not be all that important to the rest of the NBA, it’s vitally important to Charlotte. The Hornets are likely terrified of bottoming out, hence their reluctance to move on from Walker despite the obvious talent tier morass their team is stuck in. The Kemba Walker Hornets will never win an NBA title.

That’s a harsh truth, but it doesn’t make these Charlotte teams pointless. It matters for a team to be relevant. The Indiana Pacers franchise takes pride in never bottoming out, and they deserve to do so. Whether it’s out of fear or pride, the Hornets have taken a similar stance. It’s Kemba that makes that decision possible.

As long as he sticks around in Charlotte, Kemba will at least give Hornets fans a player they can root for. There will always be at least a few fun moments as well, as Walker didn’t earn the nickname Cardiac Kemba for nothing.

There may be no championship banner hoisted in Charlotte in the next few years, but that doesn’t prevent Kemba Walker from being the most important Hornet on the roster. If he does get dealt, the Hornets next draft pick will take that title over really quickly.

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