Kemba Walker Has No Hard Feelings Towards Michael Jordan After Hornets Offered Him Low-Ball Contract

Getty Image

Kemba Walker really wanted to stay and play for the Hornets this season but he eventually decided to sign with the Boston Celtics after Charlotte offered him a deal $60 million less than his potential max contract.

Via The Athletic’s Shams Charania

Tough days, f—ing tough days, I can’t even lie,” “It was difficult. I couldn’t see myself just being on another team. It was just hard. That’s all I’ve known was Charlotte. Definitely some tough times. I had a feeling that I wasn’t going to get the offer that I wanted, and maybe not close to it, because of cap space.”

Walker was eligible for a five-year $221 million deal in free agency after earning an All-NBA spot in 2018-19, but was reportedly only offered ” just under $160 million over five years,”

Despite the fact that the Hornets low-balled him, Kemba has no hard feelings against team owner Michael Jordan for the offer.

“It’s not disappointing because I understand the business side of things,” “I’m not mad at MJ or the organization for anything. I understand it. You have to look at both sides at the end of the day. Could MJ have went over the luxury tax? Yeah, he could have. But why?

“At the end of the day, you have to see both sides of it. That’s what helped me wrap my head around not being around Charlotte anymore. I loved Charlotte. I had to shift my mindset more as free agency got close. I had some priorities and places I wanted to go and didn’t want to go if I didn’t stay in Charlotte, and that’s when Boston even came on the scene. It got real, like, ‘Damn, I can really be a Celtic.’”

Hornets were not too pleased with the Hornets and Jordan over the offer.

https://twitter.com/_noahschwartz_/status/1159113279991681024

https://twitter.com/IamJoeSports/status/1159091664318849026