DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - Kemba Walker has said all the right things about possible staying with his present employer, the Charlotte Hornets -- going so far as to state that remaining in Charlotte is his "first priority'' in free agency. But Walker, the All-Star point guard who represents one of the Dallas Mavericks' premium targets this summer, also said he's "pretty sure'' he will meet with suitors beyond Charlotte after free agency begins the evening of June 30.
Related: Hornets See Mavericks As Biggest Threat To Sign Away Kemba Walker
The Mavs are readying for that meeting, have Kemba as one of their "first priorities'' (we've long stated that among the PLAN K big fish, he's the most logical Dallas "get''), and as we kick around ideas with the big-brained hosts on "Ben & Skin'' on 105.3 The Fan -- may want to get in the works a sign-and-trade to help grease the wheels of Kemba to Dallas.
Our concept, in short, step-by-step:
*Create with Mavs-friendly agent Jeff Schwartz an agreement with Walker (at a new-team maximum-salary deal of $140 million over four years).
*Appease Charlotte by offering them a sign-and-trade, with youngsters Jalen Brunson (who would become their starting point guard) and Justin Jackson (a good prospect with Carolina ties).
*Also propose to include Courtney Lee to Charlotte in a Dallas salary dump, along with cash going to Charlotte (we believe that number can now be $5 million) - with the Hornets free to use that cash to compensate themselves for their eventual stretch-waive of Lee.
In the end, Charlotte salvages something out of nothing, gets cash to make up for any spending, and avoids giving Kemba -- All-Star though he is -- a tripling of his previous salary to keep on a poor team that in Skin's estimation might be so cap-strapped with him that they won't be able to chase another big-fish free agent for the ensuing two years.
And the Mavs? They not only get Kemba Walker, but they also obtain $13.5 million in "new'' cap room, extremely useful to go shopping for the MLE-type player (guys like Beverley, Ross, Lamb and the like) who would fit into the MLE window at only $9.25 million but in Dallas could be paid the $13.5 million.
We can make this even more interesting/complicated by wondering if Dallas should ask for Charlotte backup center Willy Hernangómez, who happens to be best pals with Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. That would reduce the new room to $11.5 million.
And one more added wrinkle: In addition to "Beverley, Ross, Lamb and the like,'' the Mavs could take that "new room'' and approach old friend Jae Crowder, who just got traded to Memphis and may or may not be in the Grizzlies' plans. (UPDATE: Yeah, T.J. Warren of Phoenix can fold somehow into this overall equation, too.)
Our educated guess while scattershooting this week on 1053 The Fan is that not only will Charlotte not offer Kemba his supermax ... they may not even offer the max. That opens up a large window of opportunity for Dallas, which feeds the Mavs' June 30 optimism ... and while a straight free-agent signing is a coup, a sign-and-trade here would represent a coup-plus.
Dallas has flirted with the idea of pursuing Walker for years, and with Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis on its roster believes Walker can instantly create a "Big 3'' that can be playoff-competitive. Walker is smallish at 6-1 and is 29 and while he is a fine fit in Dallas' two-point-guard system under coach Rick Carlisle, he's lacking on the defensive end. All of that makes him short of "perfect.'' But the Mavs have no reluctance viewing him as a prize nevertheless. And, if his acquisition can be constructed in this particular manner, one of two potential prizes.
