The Basketball Gods Need to Make Sure Kemba Walker Gets on a Legit Contender ASAP

The Bucks and Hornets played a tale of two halves in their mutual season opener on Wednesday. The Bucks were up 13 points at the half, the Hornets came roaring back but ultimately fell just short. The game got billed as a duel between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kemba Walker; the Greek Freak had 25 points and Walker had 41.

Walker was the fastest, most aggressive player on the court and arguably of the whole evening of NBA games. While the Hornets aren’t a bad team, nobody is counting them amongst the handful of legitimate title contenders this season. Walker, 28, is comically underpaid right now at $12 million per year, and he’s a free agent at the end of the season.

It would be delightful if he could end up on a team that really matters soon. The Lakers would seem to make the most sense, but if that’s the case LeBron is signed there for several years and they don’t have the urgency to part with assets and win now, when they could conceivably sign him without having to give any of their young players up.

Because the sport’s economics are the way they are, perhaps Walker winds up taking a max deal with a lesser team as opposed to joining up with a super-team, but if he winds up on a bona fide contender it will be so much fun to watch.