Realistic Celtics trade targets for the Chicago Bulls: Kemba Walker
What would be a solution to the Bulls point guard problem, which would also come at a steep cost, is the Celtics veteran star floor general Kemba Walker. The former Charlotte Hornets point guard and four-time All-Star selection looks like he could be shopped by Boston this offseason, depending on how Stevens envisions this roster forming heading into next season.
Remaining on Kemba’s current contract is an average base salary north of $36 million and two more years. But the final year of his current contract is a player option. Depending on how his star status trends up to that point, Kemba might be more willing than not to exercise that player option at a large cost to the cap sheet of whatever team he is on by that point.
For the Bulls to be willing to pull off a trade deal with the Celtics to get Kemba, it would likely have to include some other juicy assets coming their way. Given that the Bulls are also trying to build around the trio that includes rookie forward Patrick Williams, star center Nikola Vucevic, and LaVine, bringing on that massive contract of Walker would be a risky proposition.
Just because it would be a risky gamble for Karnisovas and the Bulls to trade for Kemba from the Celtics doesn’t mean it is more realistic than getting someone like one of Boston’s star forwards. The Celtics would likely be open to moving the large contract of Kemba, but they would also have to be willing to give up some other valuable assets if they want to move him this summer.