‘Tis the season for NBA contract extensions. Not every fourth-year player will get one, but the ones who do will be ecstatic.
Like Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Hornets.
According to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein, the Hornets and Walker have agreed upon a four-year extension worth $48 million:
The Charlotte Hornets have reached terms on a contract extension with prized guard Kemba Walker, according to league sources.
Sources told ESPN.com that Walker will receive a four-year, $48 million extension from the Hornets that will kick in starting with the 2015-16 season…
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By securing Walker’s services, Charlotte avoids the uncomfortable prospect of seeing two of its top players hit the open market in July. Hornets center Al Jefferson has the right to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
The Hornets should be just as happy as Walker about this one. They stole him. Four years and $48 million is nothing. It’s what Kyle Lowry, four years Walker’s senior, re-signed for with the Toronto Raptors. It’s going to look like an even crazier steal come 2016, if the salary cap erupts like it’s supposed to in the wake of the NBA’s new national television deal with ESPN and Turner Sports.
Even if there is no explosion, it’s difficult to hate this deal. Point guard is an incredibly deep position, and Walker is can be an inefficient chucker who attempts too many long twos, but he’s instant offense. The Hornets are also pinning him to a core that now comprises Lance Stephenson and Al Jefferson. Their offense—which was middling at best last year—now has the opportunity to be actually good. Three-point shooting will be hard to come by, but Charlotte is awash with talented scorers.
The challenge now becomes keeping this crew together. Jefferson can hit free agency this summer, and Stephenson could follow suit the one after that, making for a busy couple years.
On the bright side, Jefferson holds a player option for 2015-16. Projected salary-cap boon in mind, he could decide to roll the dice and sign a long-term contract for more money in 2016 rather than explore the open market in 2015. That, in theory, would give the Hornets two seasons to build around their terrific trio.
But that’s a worry for another day. Right now it’s about Walker. The Hornets have him. And it looks like they can keep him for the next five years—including this one—if they so choose. He’s stuck with the franchise through thin times, and his patience, along with all of Charlotte’s, finally appears to be paying off.
Charlotte’s future, for the first time in a long time, looks blindingly bright.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
