Dallas Mavericks: Kemba Walker willing to take less money doesn’t bode well for Mavs

Dallas Mavericks free agent target Kemba Walker met with the media on June 13. See how his comments are another blow to the Mavs chances of signing him.

Dallas Mavericks supporters are hopeful that the team can land an All-Star in free agency. They are committed to clearing the necessary space and offering a max deal for the correct player. The primary target appears to be Kemba Walker.

Kemba is facing a difficult decision. He has played all eight of his NBA seasons with the Charlotte Hornets. Walker is a three-time All-Star and made the All-NBA team in 2019. The 29-year-old only knows one team.

His choice is further complicated by that All-NBA selection. The Hornets are the only team that can offer a fifth year. After the nod, they can offer $221.3 million as well. Kemba’s max contract from any other team is four years at $140.6 million.

The reason Walker may want to leave is their postseason success. The Hornets have made the playoffs just twice in Kemba’s eight years. They never escaped the first round. Charlotte is cap strapped for the future and will struggle to build a contender during Walker’s new contract.

Kemba Walker met with the media on June 13. Let us take a look at his comments.

Willing to take less

The first statement that caught fans eyes is him saying that he would be willing to take less than the supermax to stay in Charlotte. See the full quote here.

That is an obvious blow to the Dallas Mavericks chances of signing Walker. If the Hornets offer the traditional five-year max contract it appears Kemba is willing to accept.

Going to meet with other teams

Rick Bonnell shared the following tweet after Walker’s press conference.

This news should be a welcomed sight for Mavs fans. That means Dallas is going to get a chance to meet with Walker. They were always going to have to sway him in that meeting. The Mavericks chances are strong by offering the young core of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis that can push for the playoffs every season of his deal.

In Bonnell’s story, he shared a few other intriguing quotes about Kemba’s free agency. Read the full article here.

Final thoughts

All-Star guard Kemba Walker met with the media on Thursday and reiterated his stance that his “first priority” is staying with the Hornets. The Dallas Mavericks should not be counted out. They have a young core and will get a meeting to sway Kemba’s mind. Free agency can be unpredictable, so fans are going to want to stay tuned.

If the Mavs strike out on Walker, they will have a backup plan. Expect Dallas to improve their roster this summer. The Mavericks will be pushing for the playoffs in the loaded Western Conference.

The Smoking Cuban will have all the Dallas Mavericks free agency news, analysis, and rumors, so check back to the site daily.