If Walker leaves Charlotte and signs with Boston as expected Minny will then trade Wiggins' contract to Charlotte which will free up enough cap space for them to sign Russell to a max contract.

I still can't believe Jordan offered Walker $60 million below the max a real slap in the face well actually I can believe it.

They are a mess and taking on Wiggins and that bloated contract will just be to pacify the fans with some flashy highlights whilst they spend the next 3-4 years letting all those big contracts expire.

Charlotte are indeed a mess, but I don't think the franchise could really afford a supermax when they are already locked into a bunch of bad contracts and going nowhere. They should have been proactive and traded Kemba earlier for some assets, cleared their bad contracts and tanked last season.

I really like the fit for Kemba on the Celtics, but I do wonder if they would have been better off in the long run spending some money on a free agent centre and allowing the offence to be run through Hayward, Tatum and Brown? Might be one step back next season, but Tatum and Brown could really benefit from the increased responsibility.

If Kemba does indeed sign, there is some suggestion the Celtics are the team Houston has a deal with to offload Capela. That would be a pretty nice offseason rebound by Ainge if he could make that happen, but its dependent upon Butler wanting to go to Houston and Philly being willing to make it happen and I just don't see it.

More likely, the Celtics find a bargain basement bin centre - Noel, Vonleh, R. Lopez - and hope Rob Williams, Grant Williams and maybe Theis can all contribute some good minutes.

What would Minny offer Charlotte to take on Wiggins bloated contract? Seems like a dumb thing to do straight after deciding not to pay to keep Kemba! If I were Charlotte I would only take him on for several draft picks and/ or the ability to dump one of my bad contracts.

Kemba has not taken the team to the playoffs. And you want to supermax him out? I agree with the decision. Someone who deserves a max is someone who can lead and take the team on his shoulders to playoffs. Money is ridiculous. Boston will be a good fit, but will he be a game changer for them?? No sure.
BTW the super max was because he got 3rd all NBA. Some may say that was a stretch considering Klay missed out. $30m more for that 5th year.
The problem is, MJ now has a basket case because he wont pay. But if someone top tier want to come, Im sure it he would. Alas, I agree with decision not to offer contract.

""If Kemba does indeed sign, there is some suggestion the Celtics are the team Houston has a deal with to offload Capela."

That would be nice, I wonder what the Celtics would have to give up. Perhaps something from their stash of draft pick assets."

My thought was that the Memphis pick Boston holds would be an attractive asset for Houston in trade for Capela. But it would have to involve another team, because Houston wouldn't be able to take any salary back and Boston is over the cap.

I don't think Philadelphia will do this unless Butler refuses to sign with them, but they could sign and trade Butler for Capela and Gordon, then flip Capela to Boston for Smart and the Memphis pick. But I don't think Boston would give up both Smart AND such a valuable pick to a division rival. Bit of a high risk, because if that pick doesn't convey next season, its unprotected in 2021!

Lebron James couldn't even take the lakers with a decent squad to the playoffs, yet you criticise kemba not doing with the duds in Charlotte? Strange

Small teams like Charlotte need to pay the max to keep players. Add to the fact that kemba wanted to stay. Another terrible move by Jordan. Has to be the worst owner in the league with Dolan.

As much as I loved him as a player Jordan has been terrible as an executive/owner with the Hornets & Wizards before that.

Butler to Miami in a sign and trade for J. Richardson?
And Horford looking to sign with the Sixers too?

Could have a nice starting 5 of Simmons, Richardson, Harris, Horford & Embiid

Charlotte is a basketcase, with MJ standing on top of that basket. Should have traded Kemba 12 months ago and started the reset and tank-a-thon then.

They have overpaid for Rozier and they also lost Jeremy Lamb to the Pacers. Charlotte's roster doesn't have one person that would be a starter on a playoff team, not one. This roster is going to compete for the worst record in NBA history.

While MJ is the GOAT, he's the shittest owner and has been for a while. He low-balled Kemba big time. He's up there with the Stirling, Dolan and Sarver in terms of terrible owners.

*($# you MJ...

Story getting around is that Kemba was open to a discount, hell, he played the last few seasons on a discount. He wanted $175m over five. Hornets wouldn't budge from $160m over five. Charlotte lost an All-Star and All-NBA player for $3 million a season over five.

Really don't like that move by the Warriors. I get Iggy is like 35, but he's been the defensive powerhouse of that Warriors team, regularly matched up on the best perimeter player.

Russell had a good year but he's overrated at this point - doesn't get to the line (at a historically bad rate), midrange scorer... just feels very un Warriors-like. I think they are desperate to not waste a year of Curry (which I understand), and they've slipped up a little here. Better off letting Durant walk I think, because they'll be looking to move Russell within 12 months.

No idea what the Hornets are doing, or to a lesser extent the Magic. Also two out of LAC/Toronto/LAL are really going to be hamstrung waiting for the Kawhi decision while everyone else signs.

What are the Knicks doing. Portis, Randle, Taj... 3 guys who play the same position. Randle I think is a good signing for the $$$ involved, but he's not going to make the fans forget about Portzingis, especially with Dennis Smith Jr still on the roster bricking jumpers and making uncontrolled drives into traffic.

Kawhi is killing me. Just need a decision.

If the Raps do miss out, where do they go?

Is it worth taking a punt on taking on Wiggins' contract? Sure its a massive amount of $$$ for someone who doesn't necessarily help you win. But he is young enough so that there is still a chance he turns it around. Plus with a championship supporting cast and player dev coaches like Phil Handy around, he'd never have a better chance to reach that potential.

I can't see the Wolves asking too much at this point. As long as they don't give up Siakam, OG or FVV I reckon its worth a punt