Kemba Walker to Sign 4-Year Deal with Celtics

Kemba Walker has told the Charlotte Hornets of his intention to sign with the Boston Celtics when free agency officially begins. Walker will finalize a formal agreement for a four-year, $141 million deal with the Celtics, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Walker averaged 25.6 points, 5.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds last season, playing in all 82 games. The 29-year-old three-time All-Star earned All-NBA Third Team Honors last year, his best season as a pro. Walker spent the first eight years of his career in Charlotte, reaching the playoffs just twice. The Hornets failed to put sufficient talent around the talented point guard. Walker is the only Hornets' player to make an All-Star team since he was drafted ninth overall in 2011.

Boston can renounce the rights to restricted free agent point guard Terry Rozier to clear the necessary cap space to ink Walker to a max contract. Walker will replace All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, who plans to leave the Celtics after just two seasons to join the Brooklyn Nets. Irving has an agreement in place with the Nets on a four-year, $141 million contract.

All-Star Kemba Walker will sign with the Celtics and replace the departing Kyrie Irving as Boston's starting point guard. (AP Photo)

The Hornets declined to offer the supermax contract to Walker, paving the way for the former UConn star to leave in free agency. Charlotte's unwillingness to move Walker at last season's trade deadline could set the franchise back for years. Walker was the team's only attractive asset, yet management opted to keep him in an attempt to reach the postseason. Charlotte failed to reach its goal and missed the playoffs for the third straight season.

As for Walker, he finally gets the chance to play with formidable talent. He is set to join a starting lineup that will include Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and former All-Star Gordon Hayward. 

MLB All-Star Game 2019: Starters Selections

The starters for the 2019 All-Star Game will be selected on June 27 at 7 p.m. ET. Here are my selections for the Summer Classic, which takes place on July 9 in Cleveland, Ohio.

*Photos via MLB.com

American League Notes

Carlos Santana leads AL first basemen in OPS, OBS, slugging, hits (82), walks (57) and Wins Above Replacement (2.8). He ranks second in HRs (18) and batting (.290).

Tommy La Stella has 16 home runs this season (most among AL 2B) after hitting just 10 homers over the first 900 plate appearances of his career.

Jorge Polanco leads AL SS in batting (.321), hits (99) and WAR (3.8).

Mike Trout ranks first in the American League in WAR (5.2). 

Gary Sanchez has smashed 23 home runs, second overall in the American League and easily the most among AL catchers.

National League Notes

Josh Bell leads MLB in RBIs (68) and ranks first among NL first basemen in slugging and OPS.

Ketel Marte leads the NL in hits (100). He is batting .316 with 20 home runs and 51 RBIs.

Cody Bellinger (MLB-high .354 batting average with 26 HRs and 63 RBIs) and Christian Yelich (.332 batting average with an MLB-best 29 HRs and 63 RBIs) have been the two best players in baseball through the first three months of the season.

NBA Free Agency 2019: Top-20 Players on Market

NBA free agency begins on June 30. To set the stage, rankings are provided below of the best players available (including restricted free agents and players with a team or player option) ahead of this summer's hectic free agency period.

*Photos courtesy of HoopsHype.com

1. Kawhi Leonard

The 2019 Finals MVP is the best player in basketball.

2. Kevin Durant 

The two-time Finals MVP is expected to miss the entire 2019-20 season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.

3. Kemba Walker

Walker earned All-NBA Third Team honors after registering 25.6 points per contest.

4. Kyrie Irving

Irving had the best regular season of his career, but flatlined in the playoffs. He missed 14 or more shots in each of the Celtics' final four postseason contests—all losses.

5. Jimmy Butler

Butler, acquired midseason by the 76ers, elevated his play in the postseason, executing best with the ball in his hands as the point forward.

6. Khris Middleton 

A first-time All-Star in 2019, Middleton helped the Bucks win a league-high 60 games.

7. Klay Thompson

A torn ACL could sideline Thompson for the season, but the five-time All-Star will still likely receive a max contract offer from the Warriors.

8. D'Angelo Russell (Restricted)

   

Russell attained All-Star honors in 2019 and finished second in the voting for the Most Improved Player award, trailing only Toronto's Pascal Siakam.

9. Tobias Harris

Harris averaged career-highs in points (20.0), rebounds (7.9), assists (2.8) and field goal percentage (48.7%). He played in all 82 games between the Clippers and 76ers.

10. Al Horford

The 33-year-old was a critical cog in the Celtics' consecutive runs to the Conference Finals in 2017 and 2018, but like his teammates, underperformed in 2019. He made one All-Star appearance in three seasons in Boston, which is expected to lose the big man in free agency.

11. Nikola Vucevic

Vucevic had a phenomenal regular season—registering career-bests with 20.8 points and 12 rebounds per contest—but was a total no-show in Orlando's first-round playoff defeat (11.2 points per game, 36.2 percent shooting).
12. Malcolm Brogdon (Restricted)

The former Rookie of the Year and restricted free agent guard, Brogdon became the eighth player in league history to join the 50-40-90 club—shooting 50.5% from the field, 92.8% on free throws and 42.6% from 3-point land.
13. Kristaps Porzingis (Restricted)

The 7-foot-3 big man hasn't played since February 6, 2018, then as a member of the Knicks. Expect the former All-Star to remain with the Dallas Mavericks.
14. DeMarcus Cousins

A four-time All-Star, Cousins endured an injury-riddled 2018-19 campaign.
15. Bojan Bogdanovic

Bogdanovic averaged 18 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 42.5% on 3-pointers in a career season.
16. Marc Gasol (Player Option)

Gasol played an instrumental role in the Raptors' elusive championship. He can accept his player option for this season to earn roughly $25.6 million with Toronto.
*Update: Gasol exercised his player option to remain with the Raptors.
17. Paul Millsap (Team Option)

Millsap is the Nuggets' defensive anchor. When Millsap was on the floor, Denver had a 107.3 defensive rating, which would have ranked eighth in the league over the course of an entire season. When he sat, the defensive rating plummeted to 111.9, which would have ranked 22nd in the NBA. 
*Update: Denver exercised its team option on Millsap.
18. JJ Redick

Redick accumulated a career-best 18.1 points per game last season, despite being a part of a loaded 76ers starting-5 in which he was almost always the fifth option on offense.
19. Harrison Barnes

Barnes surprisingly declined a $25.1 million player option with the Kings for next season. Barnes, 27, is a strong-boded defender who can score when called upon.
20. Julius Randle

In his first season in New Orleans, Randle registered a career-high in scoring with 21.4 points per contest with a 55.5 effective field goal percentage. He did, however, account for the third-worst Defensive Real Plus-Minus among centers in the NBA.

Al Horford Opts Out of Contract

Al Horford is officially a free agent.

The Boston Celtics center will not exercise his $30.1 million option for the 2019-20 season and will become an unrestricted free agent, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Boston Celtics center Al Horford will not exercise the $30.1M option on his 2019-20 contract and become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell ESPN. Horford and the Celtics both have interest in working toward a new deal in July, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 18, 2019

Horford has spent the last three seasons with the Celtics after signing with the franchise in 2016. He earned an All-Star nod in his second season with the Celtics and played a critical role in their consecutive runs to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017 and 2018.

Horford declined his $30.1 million player option. (AP Photo)

Before joining Boston, Horford played the first nine years of his career with the Atlanta Hawks, attaining four All-Star selections.

Reports initially claimed that the 33-year-old five-time All-Star was interested in returning to Boston on a new contract. Horford could help Boston's salary-cap flexibility by inking a new, less expensive deal. However, according to Wojnarowski, the two sides could not come to an agreement and Horford is now expected to leave the Celtics and find a new home in free agency. 

Horford averaged 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.3 blocks in 29 minutes per contest last season.

Pelicans Set High Asking Price for Anthony Davis

The New Orleans Pelicans have set forth their desires for a trade for six-time All-Star Anthony Davis. Pelicans’ executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin is looking to acquire a current All-Star, a future one and two first-round picks in exchange for Davis, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Griffin told teams he prefers to make the trade before the NBA Draft on June 20. To this point, the teams who have inquired about Davis (since the end of the regular season) include the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.

Davis wants out of New Orleans after spending the first seven seasons of his career with the franchise (Seth Wenig/AP)

The only team, however, that could deliver a trade package to fit the Pelicans’ massive asking price is the Boston Celtics. They could offer Gordon Hayward or Al Horford (assuming he opts into the final year of his contract), Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum and two of the three first-round selections they own for the upcoming draft in a potential deal. Problem is, the Celtics will be hesitant to give away all these assets for Davis—an unrestricted free agent after next season—unless they can agree on a long-term extension with All-Star Guard Kyrie Irving, who could leave Boston in free agency.

Given the unlikelihood that one team can fulfill the Pelicans’ needs, Griffin has made it known he is open to multi-team trade scenarios that could redirect assets for players or draft selections, according to Wojnarowski.

The Pelicans plan to build around a nucleus of Jrue Holiday, Zion Williamson (who they plan on selecting with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft) and the assets they acquire in the Davis trade.