The Cavaliers are still after Kemba Walker to try and keep LeBron James

The Cleveland Cavaliers are continuing their pursuit of Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker in hopes to convince LeBron James to stay put, according to Bleacher Report. This report comes a day after the NBA Draft, in which the Cavs chose to keep what was probably their best trade asset, the No. 8 pick. They used it to pick another scoring-minded point guard, Collin Sexton.

New general manager Mitch Kupchak, formerly of the Lakers, spoke about Walker on Friday, saying he remains the centerpiece of the franchise and wants Walker to end his career in Charlotte.

Will Kemba ever be a Cav?

With few legitimate assets and several undesirable contracts, Cleveland doesn’t have much to offer. Should they sign Sexton, he’ll be back on the trade market in 60 days, but who could Cleveland add to the mix to make the trade work and entice the Hornets into trading their best player?

Kevin Love? Tristan Thompson? The cupboard is pretty barren for a team stripped of its trade pieces from deals with the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers last season.

Sexton: LeBron, let’s do it. I see you need a few pieces, that one extra piece this past season. Let’s do it. Let’s go to the Finals.

We’ve seen a similar situation before. James had his team draft another point guard he loved, UConn’s Shabazz Napier, then left the Miami Heat to return to Cleveland. Could he do the same four years later?

Maybe. As great as Sexton was at Alabama, he’s unlikely to be a quick-fix for the Cavs’ lack of Irving. That’d be an unfair ask.

What James is also seeking, and has been for some time, is another playmaker to shoulder the load he has to carry each year. That’s not what Sexton’s game looks like yet. He’s a tenacious defender and crafty scorer, but he isn’t a pass-first guard. At least not yet.

Kemba Walker to the Cavs still feels like a pipe dream. But Cleveland has to do everything he can to keep the best player of a generation.