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June 29, 2019

Wojbombs: Kemba, Kyrie, more

ESPN's NBA whisperer Adrian Wojnarowski has already dropped a couple of NBA free agency bombs.

In the first, he reports that Hornets point guard Kemba Walker appears headed to the Celtics on a max deal.

I'm not a huge fan. I don't think Kemba brings THAT much to the table. He's a point guard without a high assist rate, only two seasons in the top 20 in assist percentage, too short to be a combo guard and ... decent but not fantastic on 3-ball percentage.

This looks like Danny Ainge is in the "somebody to replace Kyrie Irving" mode when, IMO, he should be in the "somebody to replace Al Horford" mode first.

There, I would have kicked the tired on Nikola Vucevic first. Ainge may be thinking he can get Willie Cauley-Stein or Myles Turner on the cheap. Those may be gambles on what they'll actually bring to the table as well as affordability or cost.

That said, per Hoops Rumors, Shams Charania at The Athletic (another whisperer bled away from Yahoo) says Vooch is staying put.

And, I just mentioned Kyrie.

Word from Woj is he's going to the Nets. Will that get Kevin Durant thinking there, despite talk he and Kawhi Leonard have been discussing a joint move to the Clippers? Stand by.

Update, June 30: Woj now adds on Twitter that the Celtics are interested in a 3-team sign and trade that would include both Kemba AND Kyrie.

My personal take is that this move will only moderately goose the odds of Durant going to Brooklyn. He'll also have to decide if he thinks Kyrie is too much like Lil Russ Westbrook for his tastes.

In any case, this leaves D'Angelo Russell as a domino to go to several places. The Lakers we know want him back. Does he want back with the Lakers?

Not a regular free agency move, but the Nuggets have picked up Paul Millsap's option. I like it. I think the next move should be 2/3 to come off the bench with serious minutes, or maybe a 3/4 to do that, with their midlevel exception target, if I'm them.

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