NBA Free Agency 2019: 5 targets for the Los Angeles Clippers

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2. Kemba Walker

Walker is eligible for a supermax contract after making All-NBA Third Team this year, and for whatever it’s worth he has expressed a desire to stay with the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets can, of course, pay him the most over the longest deal, with a five-year, $221 million as an option now whereas other teams can only go to four years and $140 million.

Charlotte is sure to make retaining Walker their top offseason priority. But for at least one more offseason, they will have a hard time surrounding him with better talent without waiving and stretching bloated contracts or attaching future draft capital to offload said salary.

Coming off averaging a career-high 25.6 points per game (with four straight seasons averaging 20-plus points per game), Walker will have multiple suitors on the free agent market. The New York Knicks, Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks are out there in the rumor mill to some degree, and a team like the Phoenix Suns could make a case for a run at him.

Paolo Uggetti of The Ringer pointed the Walker as an alternate target for the Clippers if things go a certain way with other free agents. But from this corner, he absolutely should be one of the Clippers’ top free agent targets no matter where they get with anyone else.

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