5 offseason needs for the Charlotte Hornets

CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 2: Kemba Walker #15 of the Charlotte Hornets reacts during a pre-season game against the Miami Heat on October 2, 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) /

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TORONTO, ON – MARCH 24: Kemba Walker #15 of the Charlotte Hornets looks on during warm up prior to an NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on March 24, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

1. Continue to support Kemba Walker

This, of course, primarily refers to in the event that Walker departs the Hornets this summer. For the fans, this point has to be a little nuanced. You don’t have to go root for his new team. I don’t tend to think Walker would want you to switch allegiances with him, and following players to teams with fandom tends to be a little aimless because it leaves you with nothing to do once they’re done. You can definitely root for him personally — heck, with Walker’s reputation as one of the best human beings in the NBA, you and everyone else too should root for him personally. But more than anything, Hornets fans should recognize the contributions he’s made to this franchise.

They should see how the franchise has no one to blame other than themselves for the failure to put enough talent around him in due time. They should remember the good years under Walker, and how much he worked to get better during those years. They should remember how gracefully he handled the press in some of the hardest struggles of his career. Burning jerseys is ridiculous all the time, but I can hardly think of a time that actions like that, or booing, or any negative sentiment towards the player whatsoever, are less appropriate given how much he gave this franchise over what would be the totality of his tenure here.

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But the other four points have been primarily prescriptive for the team, and this one is no exception to that rule. For a franchise that hasn’t had the best relationship with other great players in their history like Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning, the Hornets must be certain to properly honor Kemba as the times come. Obviously, there will be a video highlight reel when he comes back to Charlotte. If Walker wants, post-retirement, some kind of ambassador role like those currently held by Dell Curry and Muggsy Bogues, the Hornets should make it happen. If the Hornets ever create a ring of honor, like the Phoenix Suns have, he should be one of the first players in it. And one day, his jersey should be retired, the first skill-related retirement by the Hornets.

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