1. Keep Kemba Walker
This should be simple, play well, make the playoffs and Kemba will stay. He’s even said he would stay and that he hopes to be apart of something great in Charlotte.
"“This is where I want to be. I don’t want to be nowhere else … I want to create something special here in Charlotte, something we’ve never had here (in the NBA). I want to create some consistency.”"
Weighing them down is not only the possibility of a max contract for Walker, but the massive deal that Batum has yet to live up to. In addition to that, MKG, Marvin Williams and Bismack Biymobo all have large player options for next year as well. Other players stepping up could force MKG or even Marvin Williams to the trade block and should be actively shopped if possible to free up just a little cap space.
It’s already clear the Hornets are not going to be big players in free agency next year with the salary cap mess they are in, and that includes their own free agents. Jeremy Lamb is set to become an unrestricted free agent and Frank Kaminsky will be a restricted free agent after the season, two players that are expected to be big contributors.
So while the big team storylines will be the Hornets focusing on a playoff run and maybe even competing for a division title, the biggest thing people will be focused on all year is if the Hornets can keep Kemba. The Charlotte Hornets are going to have to be very creative or have very deep pockets to truly keep Walker as they barely made it under the luxury tax threshold this offseason.