Chris Mannix Believes Kemba Walker Will Re-Sign With the Charlotte Hornets

Chris Mannix: “We get locked into this idea that if a guy is eligible for the Super Max, then he HAS to get it. That’s not really the case. If he gets somewhere in between, I think Kemba Walker stays in Charlotte. He's just got such a strong bond with that community and if he gets the money I don’t think he goes anywhere. The Lakers are going to hope those negotiations get derailed in some way.”

Listen to Sports Illustrated senior writer and NBA insider Chris Mannix join Doug Gottlieb filling in for Colin Cowherd on The Herd to discuss the future plans of star free agent point guard Kemba Walker.

It’s a clear two-team race between the Los Angeles Lakers woo-ing Walker away to be their third star behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and the Charlotte Hornets, who are likely willing to put the stamp on Walker as their franchise player and city’s biggest sports ambassador.

Check out the audio above as Mannix explains why he thinks the bond between the Charlotte community and the beloved Walker is one that is going to be too tough to break as Mannix believes Charlotte will retain Walker even if he doesn’t receive the glamorous ‘Super Max’ deal.