That's funny, I remember the Sonics kind of owning the Jazz for most of the mid-90's.The one thing I remember about the jazz playing the Sonics in those days is Malone absolutely owned Kemp. It got so bad theyd stuck Kemp on Ostertag. Lol
If true, maybe it's because Kemp fouled a lot (lead the league during this era). It is also typical to put your best help defender on the opposing team's bum so they can play free safety (it would also keep him closer to the rim, and theoretically save their energy for offense and maybe keep down their foul rate). You could also say that him being able to guard 90's centers - even the bums - is a plus since it demonstrates his physical strength (which is maybe the only thing Tag reliably had on a given night).
In this case, Kemp is a supercharged sub, and his role might be specifically to foul in some situations. In other words, not a problem at all.