Charlotte Hornets Beat Writer Analyzes Pros and Cons of Hornets’ Potential Pursuit of Kyrie Irving

Charlotte Hornets beat writer Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer wrote a column Saturday, weighing the pros and cons of a potential Kyrie Irving for Kemba Walker swap.

Here’s an excerpt from the column:

The arguments for Irving over Walker

▪  Irving is a slightly more creative scorer (though only slightly; two seasons ago Walker led the NBA in scoring in late-and-close game situations).

▪  Irving has far more playoff experience (52 games, versus 11 for Walker, whose teams have never advanced beyond the first round).

▪  Irving is younger (25, versus Walker’s 27 because Irving turned pro after one college season, while Walker turned pro as a junior).

The arguments for Walker over Irving

▪  Walker is a better defender. Irving has always been shaky as an NBA defender. Walker might not be the best of perimeter defenders, but he puts more focus on that end of the court.

▪  Walker has a more team-friendly contract. He makes $12 million each of the next two seasons. Irving is scheduled to make $18.8 million next season, $20.1 million in 2018-19 and $21.3 million in 2019-20.

▪  Walker is a known quantity, a leader on and off the court for the Hornets, and loves living and playing in Charlotte. Irving has been more high-maintenance in the past: He reportedly had a difficult relationship with former Cavs coach David Blatt.

-Rick Bonnell, Charlotte Observer

What say you, Cavs fans? Would you trade Kyrie Irving for Kemba Walker?

there was a column in the Charlotte Observer from @rick_bonnell weighing pros and cons of Kyrie-Kemba swap

Would you trade Irving 4 Walker?

— Matt Medley (@MedleyHoops) July 23, 2017