Kemba Walker plans to be in Boston on Sunday to finalize a formal agreement for a four-year, $141 million deal with the Celtics, league sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday.
The Celtics have targeted Walker, 29, as the No. 1 priority in free agency, an elite level replacement for the departing Kyrie Irving, sources said.
NBA free agents can begin reaching agreements with teams at 6 p.m. ET Sunday. Contracts can be officially signed July 6.
Walker is coming off his best season as a pro during his eight seasons with the Charlotte Hornets, averaging 25.8 points while playing in all 82 regular-season games.
After a season of locker room turmoil often centered around Irving’s discontent, the Celtics crave the stability and leadership that Walker will crave – along with an All-Star talent in the prime of his career.
Boston can renounce the rights to restricted free agency Terry Rozier to clear the space to start Walker on a four-year deal beginning at $32M annually.
Walker can plug into a Celtics lineup that includes Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward and Jaylen Brown. Boston can still pursue a center with its $4.8 million exception and deliver a team to the start of the season that could be competitive with the elite teams in the Eastern Conference.
Walker won a national championship at nearby UConn in 2011, and is a New York City native.