Dallas Mavericks reportedly very interested in Kemba Walker

The Dallas Mavericks were always going to be buyers this summer in free agency, but reports from a Charlotte source have already named one player that will likely be on the Mavs radar.

There are going to be a lot of really good players available this summer in free agency. Whether it’s Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving or Klay Thompson, the talent is there and the player movement will be there too. The Dallas Mavericks may be interested in some of these guys, but reports are out that they already have a “primary target”.

A report from Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer has come out that the Mavericks have the means, the incentive and the interest to go after three-time All-Star, Kemba Walker. Walker is in the midst of possibly his best season yet, averaging a career high 25.1 points and 5.8 assists.

So how should Mavs fans unpack this information? There are a few different things we have to consider here before we can decide exactly how we feel about the information.

1. Does Kemba Walker help the team?

Yes. No matter which way you slice it, 25 points per game from a guy that can create his own shot is never going to hurt a team. Pairing him with Luka Doncic who is a willing and able passer, and Kristaps Porzingis who is willing and able to be passed to, will help Kemba a lot. The lack of other playmakers in Charlotte has likely taken a toll on the star point guard.

2. Does he “fit”?

Not seamlessly. The truth is, having two ball-dominant players in the same backcourt is a relatively new strategy from teams and has been hit and miss depending on the players involved. I think that Luka and Kemba will be able to work together to make a good team better instead of making a great team worse. It may take some work, but this pairing would work in my opinion.

3. Is he worth the price tag?

A max contract for Kemba is really the only realistic way Dallas can get him away from Charlotte and keep the other teams at bay. If Walker really is interested in coming to Dallas, it will likely be for all the money they can offer.

4. Are there better options?

Of course. Like I mentioned at the beginning, there are a lot of really good players available this summer. Kemba may be in the top 5 but he is probably not the best player available. That said, the likelihood of the Mavs landing a Kevin Durant or Kawhi Leonard or Kyrie Irving should be viewed as zero.

5. Is he the literal “primary target”?

Doubtful. The Mavericks are going to play free agency close to the chest as they always do. When they were in the conversation with Mike Conley a few years ago, Hassan Whiteside was also considering Dallas. You can guarantee that the Mavs front office was doing everything they could to convince each player that they were the only one for Dallas.

6. Would this be a championship core?

I think so. Three bonafide All-Stars or soon-to-be All-Stars is the recipe for a championship caliber team. If all three can stay healthy and work in harmony, they are maybe one mid-major piece away from putting the fear in the rest of the league. This team would be scary, they would be talented and they would be dangerous.

Not everything is going to fit right away if the Dallas Mavericks sign Kemba Walker this summer. That said, there is no way that the team should pass up the chance to get another star for the foreseeable future.