Kemba Walker is a Perfect Fit With the Dallas Mavericks

Kemba Walker is one of the most coveted free agents on the market in 2019. Since entering the league in 2011, the three-time NBA All-Star has emerged as one of the premier point guards in the world. Although Walker has played the entirety of his eight-year career with the Charlotte Hornets and has expressed interest in re-signing, it appears a variety of teams are hoping to lure him away.

According to New York Times NBA Columnist Marc Stein, the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks are the two teams leading the charge to try and sign Walker away from Charlotte.

With Boston in disarray and the Hornets consistently failing to provide Walker the support he needs to succeed, the Mavericks are a perfect fit. They struggled to win games last season, finishing 14th in the Western Conference standings with a 33-49 record, but Dallas is poised to be a contender for the foreseeable future. After drafting 2019 Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic and trading for rising star Kristaps Porzingis, Dallas boasts an impressive young core. The one thing that is lacking on the current Mavericks roster? A true point guard. And in comes Kemba.

Although Doncic succeeded last season as a point-forward, the addition of Walker would move Doncic to the wing, providing the Mavericks the ability to give him more off-ball opportunities. This would give the Mavericks a true point guard in Walker while providing Doncic more flexibility in the offense. There’s no doubt that Walker’s arrival would diminish Doncic’s on-ball role he served last year, but it won’t completely eliminate it. Instead, Walker arriving in Dallas would balance out Doncic’s game, making him an equal threat both on and off the ball.

Throughout his NBA career, the Hornets have consistently failed to provide Walker with talent around him. With just two playoff appearances in the past eight seasons, Al Jefferson lays claim to the title of Walker’s best teammate after earning an All-NBA third team selection in 2014. In Dallas, Walker would play alongside two up-and-coming stars in Doncic and Porzingis.

The addition of Kemba Walker would create some variation of a starting lineup as below:

PG: Kemba Walker

SG: Tim Hardaway Jr/Courtney Lee (barring buyout or trade)

SF: Luka Doncic

PF: Kristaps Porzingis

C: Dwight Powell

Although the Hornets can outbid anyone on the market for Walker’s services, the Mavs could easily take a few steps to ensure they can offer Walker the most they can. $220 million is a lot of money to turn down, but the Mavericks provide him an opportunity to play point with a bright supporting cast that is set to contend for years to come. It’s a perfect match for both sides and one that needs to happen if Walker wants a chance at contending for a title.