Welcome to Buzz City Beat, a daily roundup of the best articles from around the internet surrounding the Charlotte Hornets.
After losing by one point to the Miami Heat, the Hornets have now lost 14 straight games decided by three or fewer points which is the longest such streak in NBA history. In this edition of Buzz City Beat, we look at how the Charlotte Hornets could’ve damaged Kemba Walker‘s trust, Frank Kaminsky discussing the trade rumors and potential landing spots for the all-star point guard.
Hornets could’ve damaged their relationship with Kemba (Twitter/ @Schultz_Report)
"Kemba Walker is legitimately hurt right now. He had NO idea he might be traded. I’m told he found out through media coverage. Kemba has literally done EVERYTHING right. Has been a great player, a leader, a model citizen. Is building a home in Charlotte"
If Charlotte didn’t tell Walker that he could possibly be traded, this could severely damage the trust between the team’s best player and the front office. They’ve had a strong relationship up to this point but if there is distrust between the two sides going forward, it could lead to either a trade or Kemba leaving in free agency once his contract is up after next season. If this report is true, the Hornets really messed up and should’ve been more transparent with their star.
Even if they aren’t going to trade him, they should at least let him know that they are just doing their due diligence by listening to offers. Walker shouldn’t have to find out through the media. We’ll see if this impacts Kemba’s relationship with the team. Hopefully, they cleared the air but it’s too early to tell. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer also wrote an article detailing just how badly the team potentially damaged their relationship with Walker.
Frank Kaminsky discusses trade rumors (WFNZ.com)
"Hornets forward Frank Kaminsky joins Garcia and Bailey to talk about the Kemba trade rumors, winning the last two games, and his comments about Twitter.Frank Kaminsky: “Kemba Means Everything To The Team”"
The Hornets’ big man had some high praise for Kemba. Frank said that since he’s been with the Hornets, no one has embodied more what they are trying to do than Walker over the past three years. Kaminsky also said that the all-star point guard is the “heart and soul of this team and franchise.”
When asked about the team’s high expectations, the 24-year old said that Charlotte has enough talent to not only make the playoffs this year but compete once in the postseason. When Kaminsky said that Kemba means everything to this team, I don’t think it was an exaggeration because he truly does. No player has done more for the franchise in the past decade than Walker has.
Examining potential trade destinations for Walker (FanRagSports.com)
"TIER 1: LET’S MAKE A DEALTeams: Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz"
Next: Rumor: Hornets contact Mavs about facilitating Kemba trade
Nekias Duncan outlines the teams that are best suited to go after Kemba before the February 8th trade deadline. Detroit, Indiana, Miami, Philidelphia, San Antonio and Utah all have the need for a great point guard like Walker and the assets necessary to complete a deal with Charlotte. Surprisingly enough, Cleveland and New York aren’t among the top potential trade destinations as Duncan argues that the Cavs already have an all-star point guard in Isaiah Thomas while the Knicks shouldn’t look to move their rookie point guard.