If the Knicks had any plans to make a run at Kemba Walker this offseason, the road just got bumpier.
On Thursday afternoon, the NBA announced its All-NBA teams, and the Charlotte guard earned third-team honors, along with Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, Blake Griffin and Rudy Gobert.
The 2018-19 All-NBA Third Team! @rudygobert27 @blakegriffin23 @KingJames @KembaWalker @russwest44 pic.twitter.com/7IMCbp1JQK
- NBA (@NBA) May 23, 2019
Walker's All-NBA nod now means that Charlotte can offer him the super max -- a five-year, $221 million dollar contract. If Walker elects to leave the Hornets in free agency, the largest contract he can sign with another team is a four-year, $141 million deal.
According to a report from SB Nation's Kristian Winfield, however, Walker has said that his decision in free agency will be based on winning games, rather than the overall dollar amount. Winfield did also note that Walker made that statement prior to his All-NBA designation, before he was certain that a super max with Charlotte could be an option.
Walker is just one of the big-name free agents that could be in play for the Knicks this summer, along with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson, among others.
While the talk all season long has been centered around Durant and Irving teaming up to join the Knicks this summer, SNY Insider Ian Begley reported earlier this month that some in the Knicks organization are high on Walker, the New York City native who played at Rice High School.
Whether that would manifest itself in the Knicks signing Walker over Irving if given the chance remains to be seen. If Durant prefers Irving, that would pretty much end any debate.
Walker averaged a career-high 25.6 points per game this season along with 5.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. He turned 29 this month.