Free agent Kemba Walker expected to sign with Celtics
Finally cashing in on his All-NBA status, Kemba Walker is poised to sign a four-year, $141 million deal with the Boston Celtics when free agency officially kicks off Sunday.
Per The Athletic’s Shams Charania:
Kemba Walker plans to commit to a four-year, $141M maximum contract with the Boston Celtics after free agency opens on Sunday, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2019
The eight-year NBA veteran is coming off his third straight All-Star appearance and first All-NBA nod, earning third-team honors with a career year.
His All-NBA status made him eligible for a supermax contract heading into free agency. His negotiations with the Charlotte Hornets hit a snag with the franchise not wanting to commit five years and $221.3 million to their star performer.
Walker posted career-high averages of 25.6 points, 5.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds while tallying 1.4 steals per game in starting all 82 games for the Hornets
A career 41.8 percent shooter from the floor, Walker is an inefficient but effective scorer capable of filling up the box score. He has shot 35.7 percent from 3-point land for his career.
Walker has not played alongside another All-Star since joining the NBA. The 29-year old is entering his third NBA contract after signing a four-year, $48 million rookie extension in 2014.
The Hornets failed to build around Walker after drafting him out of UConn in 2012, making the playoffs just once, losing to the Miami Heat in the first round in 2016.
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