Kemba Walker talks about how Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Hornets hadn’t even offered him a max contract in 2019.
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Kemba Walker was seen as one of the league’s most premier point guards during the mid-2010s, often in the Damian Lillard-John Wall tier of guards. Coming into the league, Kemba’s career didn’t start off the way he had hoped. He was a part of perhaps the worst team in NBA history: the 7-59 Charlotte Bobcats.
His second season however, saw him jump from 12 points per game to nearly 18. There was no slowing down for the UConn legend from here as he continued to get better and better as each season progressed. Walker’s individual success unfortunately, did not translate to the Hornets’ success as they usually missed the Playoffs or were first round exits.
Despite Kemba Walker emerging into an All-NBA level talent, Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Hornets looked to go in a different direction come 2019.
Kemba Walker explains how his stint in Charlotte ended.
Kemba Walker took to the Lowe Post today to talk about various things ranging from his time as a Thunder to how career as a Hornet ended. Zach Lowe asked Kemba what that conversation with Michael Jordan was like and he said:
“I love Charlotte and that’s where I’ll probably be for, forever. Me and MJ, we had a conversation, and he just basically told me what he could offer me and it just wasn’t what I felt like I was worth. That year I had one of my best years and I played all 82 games that year, I believe. I was up for a super-max and they didn’t offer me my max.”
Kemba Walker was technically eligible for the max that 2019 offseason as he was entering his eighth season in the league and he had made the All-NBA third team that prior season.
Fans have actually lauded Michael Jordan for that very decision to not pay Kemba the max as he would soon divulge into becoming an injury prone player in the NBA due to his knees. Walker is currently signed to a 2 year/ $16 million with the New York Knicks.
