Kemba Walker Trades

With the draft upon us, it is time to revisit Kemba Walker trades.  We know the Hornets ideally want to move some long-term money in a Kemba Walker trade, which really makes the Mosgov trade confusing.  I guess Mitch Kupchak just can’t quit Timofey.

Unless the Hornets aren’t interested in possibly acquiring 2018 draft picks, the team should look to move Kemba on Thursday night.  Charlotte could wait until after the draft, but let’s see what Kemba Walker trades we can come up with on draft eve.

TRADE

Hornets Receive: Thaddeus Young, Al Jefferson, 23rd pick in 2018 NBA Draft

Pacers Receive: Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

I talked earlier about the idea of the Hornets and Pacers working out a deal where the Pacers take on salary using Al Jefferson’s unicorn contract to facilitate the transaction.  This is built around the same principal.

Instead of the Pacers moving up in the draft they simply send their first round pick Charlotte.  Thaddeus Young would have to do everyone a solid by opting in to his $13.76 million player option, and then after the trade is finalized Young and Charlotte could negotiate a buyout, allowing Young to pick his next team.  Or maybe Charlotte just wants him.

I said this before as well, but even though Indiana has the potential to open up nearly $35 million in cap space this summer, they shouldn’t view themselves as a free agent destination.  And the Pacers are a team in desperate need of more fire power.

The Pacers offensive rating plummeted from 109.3 with Oladipo on the court – which would have nearly ranked 6th best in the league – to 103.3 while Oladipo sat last season.  That 103.3 mark would have ranked right ahead of the Magic for 25th in the league.

The defense significantly suffered as well when Oladipo was not on the court.  With Oladipo the Pacers defensive rating was 102.9, which would have been 5th best in the NBA last year.  When Oladipo sat their defensive rating tanked to 110.6, which would have tied the Suns for dead last in the NBA.  Point being, the Pacers could actually use a wing defender like MKG.

The Hornets, on the other hand, get off of MKG’s contract while also adding a first round pick.

TRADE

Hornets Receive: Patrick Beverly, Boban Marjanovic, 13th pick in 2018 NBA Draft

Clippers Receive: Kemba Walker

Beverly and Marjanovic are both expiring deals put in the trade to make the salaries work.  In fact, Beverly is another unicorn contract since his $5.027 million for this season is non-guaranteed, but due to the fact the contract was signed prior to the new CBA his non-guaranteed money can be counted as out going salary.  If Charlotte wanted to they could cut him immediately to save the money.  They may prefer to hold onto him since they will need a starting point guard should they trade away Kemba, but they have options.

Essentially the Hornets are trading Kemba for the 13th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft on Thursday night.  So why would the Clippers want to do this?

Steve Ballmer never wanted to rebuild, he just wanted to pivot and stay in the playoffs.  Despite a plague of injuries and vanquishing Blake Griffin last season, the Clippers were in playoff contention until about five days left in the season.

This trade would essentially be Los Angeles just adding Kemba to the roster they had last season, (if DJ opts in) so it’s possible he provides enough of a boost to get the Clippers into the playoffs.  It is a calculated risk giving up a lottery pick when Kemba could leave next summer, but the team will have a year to sell him on the city and the culture.  I don’t know that Kemba will believe it after what the team did with Blake, but the Clippers can try.

I know the Clippers want to be major players in 2019 free agency.  As of now, they only have two (2!) guaranteed deals for the 2019-2020 season.  If they renounce all of their cap holds they could open up $72.528 million in space.  Obviously they would not renounce Kemba’s cap hold, but I’m sure the Clippers are dreaming of pairing some combination of Kawhi, Kyrie, Klay, and Jimmy Butler.

I wouldn’t plan on that though and I think bringing in Kemba a year ahead of time is a more prudent risk.  Kyrie, at present, (these things always change) seems most likely to stay in Boston or either go to the Knicks or the Nets.  Kawhi certainly is a possibility since he wants to be in the city of Los Angeles, although he does prefer the Lakers.  And even though Klay Thompson is a native son, it would be an upset if he actually walks away from the Warriors dynasty.  Butler, yea, he could leave.

Besides, one of those two guaranteed contracts for next season is Gallinari, who at that point would have $22.615 million and one year left on his deal.  If the Clippers desperately needed to get off that money, they could find a way.  Kemba’s cap hold in the summer of 2019 is $18 million, so shedding Gallinari would net the Clippers another $4.615 million in space.  With more than $76 million available, the Clippers could entice two max players to come to Los Angeles to play with Kemba and Lou Williams.

TRADE

Hornets Receive: Jared Dudley, Tyson Chandler, 16th pick in 2018 NBA Draft

Suns Receive: Kemba Walker, Timofey Mosgov, 11th pick in 2018 NBA Draft

The Hornets immediately pivot and get off of the Mosgov contract a day after trading for it (although the trade is unofficial until July 6th).  Both Jared Dudley and Tyson Chandler are on expiring contracts, and if Charlotte wants they could buy out either of them once they get to town.

The Suns want to be free agent players in 2019 and they do have the ability to get to about $54 million in cap space, but I think they should be a little more self aware and not consider themselves a real free agent destination.

Taking on the Mosgov contract to potentially just rent Kemba for a year is quite a steep price to pay.  But once again, the team is taking a calculated risk that over the course of next season they can sell Kemba on the city and the culture.  Adding a point guard of Kemba’s quality would do wonders for this roster.

You may find it more wise for the Suns to just lose as many games as possible next year, and I can’t argue.  But if the two teams swap picks in the first round and the Suns can land one of the Bridges at #11, then this team really has a core to it.  Kemba, Booker, Bridges, Jackson (I’m not a fan but), Ayton.

Plus the Suns still have future first round picks owed to them from the Heat and the Bucks, so they do have draft capital to work with moving forward.

TRADE

Hornets Receive: Danny Green, Pau Gasol, 2019 lottery protected first round pick

Spurs Receive: Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

This is very similar to the Pacers deal.  Danny Green would opt in and then take a buyout from Charlotte.  Pau Gasol has only $6.7 million of his $16 million guaranteed for the 2019-2020 season, so the Hornets could try to reach a buyout with Gasol, since at this point in his career he probably only wants to play for a contender, or keep him on the roster and then waive him next summer.

Sending out a first round pick isn’t a Spurs move, but they might be willing to part with their 2019 selection.

This team clearly needed more offensive fire power when they were playing without Kawhi.  Kemba can provide that.  This trade works whether or not the Spurs trade Kawhi.  If the team brings in Kemba it is possible Kawhi likes his odds of winning in San Antonio better and decides to stick around, at least to see how things go.  And if they do trade Kawhi, then the 2019 pick won’t much matter since they will probably be obtaining a 2019 pick in the Kawhi trade.

Also, if the Spurs do trade Kawhi (and Danny Green), they will then need the new wing defender in MKG.

The reason I think it would be a 2019 first rounder is the Spurs have the 18th pick this year and that is as high as they have drafted in quite some time.  The team might be reluctant to give up their chance to draft in the teens for the first time in what seems like 75 years.

The Spurs can spend next season trying to sell Kemba on their team and culture in an effort to convince him to sign an extension with the team in the summer of 2019.

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