Odds Heavily Favor Kemba Walker, Tobias Harris & D’Angelo Russell Staying Put in 2019 NBA Free Agency

• Kemba Walker, Tobias Harris, and D’Angelo Russell are all expected to remain with their current clubs
• The market for Rusell is expected to be robust after he made his first NBA All-Star team in 2019
• Harris has become an integral part of the 76ers after coming over in a mid-season trade from the Clippers

The NBA’s annual free agent frenzy is scheduled to begin on July 1st at 12:01 a.m. Although many players will surely swap jerseys in the hours and days that follow, oddsmakers believe at least three free agents are staying put.

The online sportsbook has released new odds suggesting that Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker, Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris, and Brooklyn Nets guard D’Angelo Russell will all remain with their current clubs.

Let’s take a closer look at the odds for each player and see where the value lies.

Kemba Walker 2019 Free Agency Odds

*All odds taken 05/08/19

Walker’s name has popped up more than any other prospective free agent over the past two seasons, and it’s easy to understand why. The three-time All-Star is one of the game’s elite scorers and playmakers thanks to his constantly growing arsenal of moves.

Leave him open on the perimeter and he’ll bury a three in your face. Give him too much space on the pick and roll and he’ll knife into the lane for an quick two. Trap him with a double-team and he’ll find an open teammate for an easy deuce.

Happy birthday to the Hornets all-time leader in points, field goals, free throws and threes: Kemba Walker aka Cardiac Kemba! pic.twitter.com/DwGBEp6fyy

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) May 8, 2019

Walker’s all around game was evident in 2018-19 as averaged 25.6 points, 5.9 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per contest. He was especially lethal on November 17th against the 76ers when he exploded for a career-high 60 points in 45 minutes. He followed that performance up two nights later by dropping 43 points on the Celtics.

Kemba Walker is the first player to follow up a 60-point game with a 40-point game since Kobe Bryant in 2006-07 ? pic.twitter.com/XzmgzpVc1G

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 20, 2018

The Hornets have had countless opportunities to deal Walker in the past but they’ve balked every time. They understand his value to the franchise and, just as importantly, his value to the community. Count on Kemba staying in the Queen City for the foreseeable future.

Pick: Charlotte Hornets (-200)   

Tobias Harris 2019 Free Agency Odds

When the Sixers acquired Tobias Harris from the Clippers on February 6th they had two goals in mind: They wanted to improve in the short term and they wanted to strengthen their core for the future. The 26-year-old forward wasn’t some hired gun that would be discarded once the season ended, but rather an essential part of a young nucleus that also includes Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.

Harris has meshed well with the team’s young superstars thus far, giving Simmons a release valve on his dribble drives, and Embiid another active body to help crash the boards and defend the paint. Harris also hasn’t stepped on anyone toes or demanded too many touches. His soft spoken personality has been an ideal fit in a locker room full of big egos.

Harris has meshed well with the team’s young superstars thus far, giving Simmons a release valve on his dribble drives and Embiid another active body to help crash the boards and defend the paint.

And while the Sixers would certainly love to keep Harris in the fold, the question is whether they can afford to pay him. He’ll be looking for a big raise on his current $14.8 million deal, and Philly might have to shuffle around some bodies to make it all work. If push comes to shove, we believe the 76ers will re-sign Harris and bid adieu to Jimmy Butler, who will likely be even more expensive.

Pick: Philadelphia 76ers (-200) 

D’Angelo Russell 2019 Free Agency Odds

Few players did more to raise their profile this past season than D’Angelo Russell, who went from Lakers reject to Nets savior. The crafty point guard willed Brooklyn to a surprising 42-40 record and guided the franchise to its first postseason appearance since 2015. Not bad for a guy Magic Johnson once deemed too immature to lead a team.

D’Angelo Russell got the last laugh over Magic Johnson
21.1 PPG
7.0 APG
✅All-Star
✅Lead Nets to Playoffs. @Dloading pic.twitter.com/pbYoRB4m2W

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) April 11, 2019

Russell made his first All-Star team in 2019 after posting career-highs in points (21.1), assists (7.0), rebounds (3.9), field-goal percentage (.434) and three-point percentage (.369). He likely won’t win the league’s Most Improved Player Award, but there’s no denying the fact that his game reached new heights during his fourth season in the league.

Russell will have his fair share of suitors, but the Nets will be willing to match every offer he receives. Brooklyn envisions the dynamic guard as part of their longterm future rather than a short term rental.

Pick: Brooklyn Nets (-400)