Getty Kemba Walker, Boston Celtics
Marcus Smart excelled in his role as the Boston Celtics’ starting point guard last season after replacing Kemba Walker, who was shipped out as part of the Al Horford trade early in the off-season.
However, since leaving Boston, Walker has struggled to find a place to call home, and now, just one year after signing a deal to return home with the New York Knicks, Walker is on the precipice of becoming a free agent again – with no team emerging as a potential landing spot for the former All-Star.
Now, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Walker, who was recently traded to the Detroit Pistons as part of the three-team trade that saw the Knicks acquire three future first-round draft picks, will be away from the Pistons team while they continue to work on a potential buy-out of his current contract.
Pistons’ Kemba Walker will likely be away from the team as training camp opens this week, sources tell me and @JLEdwardsIII. Detroit will need to waive or trade a player by Oct. 17 to be at the league limit for standard roster spots going into the season.
Last season, Walker participated in 37 games for New York, averaging 11.6 points, three rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 36.7% from deep and 44.4% from inside the perimeter, but unfortunately, Walkers’ limited defensive upside saw him regularly fall out of the team’s rotation.
Walker Isn’t The Same Player
During his time with the Celtics, Walker struggled with degenerative knee issues that saw him undertake multiple treatments in an attempt to return him to his former All-Star level of play. However, while Walker remains an offensive weapon, he no longer possesses his elite first step, and as such, is far less dangerous as an offensive outlet.
With a dampened offensive potency, Walker isn’t the same guard that used to carry the Charlotte Hornets on his back, nor is he the ideal guard to have coming off the bench, as his limited size and mobility make him a legitimate target on the defensive side of the floor.
Danny Ainge on Kemba Walker: “He brings joy to the game, to the team and to the organization on a daily basis … He’s a terrific leader, a terrific teammate and an amazing person.”
Still, Walker continues to be an exceptional locker room presence with a wealth of experience to help bring through the next generation of point guards, and hopefully, there will be a team somewhere within the league that sees value in what he brings to a team in an off-court capacity, while also believing they can get the best version of him on the court. Otherwise, Walker may find his career being cut tragically short.
Lakers Sign Matt Ryan
Another former Celtics player has recently found themselves floating around in the free agency pool, but luckily, they have found a potential new home in the league. According to Charania, Matt Ryan, who was impressive for Boston’s Summer League team this summer, has signed a non-guaranteed deal with the Los Angeles Lakers for the upcoming season.
Sources: The Lakers plan to sign G/F Matt Ryan on a non-guaranteed deal. Four-year NBA veteran Dwayne Bacon is also working toward training camp deal with the Lakers. Ryan was with the Celtics on a two-way last season.
Ryan, 25, has one NBA game to his name thus far in his career, playing five minutes of basketball for the Boston Celtics during the 2021-22 NBA season, and will be hoping that his perimeter shooting ability creates an avenue to a consistent role in the shooting-deficient Lakers.
Luckily for Ryan, there will be a familiar face in Los Angeles to greet him, as the Lakers also recently acquired former Celtics guard Dennis Schroder after he impressed with Germany during the FIBA EuroBasket tournament.