The trade deadline came and went. Yet, Kemba Walker still remains in Beantown.
The Boston Celtics‘ desire to keep Walker around is certainly reasonable. The 30-year-old has picked up his play of late, averaging nearly 18 points over his last eight contests. However, his surgically repaired left knee continues to keep him out of back-to-back games. In their current structure, the Celtics are clearly a better team with Walker in their lineup. Since being cleared, the four-time All-Star has been held out of nine games, of which the Celtics own a record of just 3-6.
While Danny Ainge and company are hopeful Walker can regain his rightful place alongside the two Js (Tatum and Brown) as the third member of the Celtics’ “Big-Three”, questions regarding Walker’s durability and high price tag continue to cast doubt on his staying power in Boston.
There’s at least one media proposal being floated to get him out of town, though.
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Trade Proposal Ships Kemba, Tristan Thompson to the Clippers
Owed nearly $74 million over the next two seasons, Walker is the highest-priced player on the Celtics’ books — certainly a pricey puzzle piece to float in trade talks considering his age and a questionable bill of health. However, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley believes that the Los Angeles Clippers’ desperation for an upgrade at the point guard position could be enough to entice the potential title contenders to swing a deal this offseason.
“The Clippers are on the cusp of championship contention; they need more than (Rajon) Rondo’s postseason legend to take care of this position group,” Buckley wrote. “When Walker has his legs under him, he’s a full-fledged problem at the offensive end. Let him work isolation magic and spot up for stretches alongside Leonard and George, and Walker could be the shot in the arm that L.A. is (for some reason) hoping Rondo will be.”
Buckley points to the Clippers’ “limited trade budget” marking a player such as Walker as the team’s likely best-case scenario in terms of offseason acquisitions. The B/R columnist adds that involving big man Tristan Thompson in the deal — a player with a close relationship to Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue — and the deal becomes a “no-brainer” for L.A.
Celtics Address Center Spot & Land All-NBA Defender in Proposal
While the Celtics would be moving off of two prominent starters, Buckley believes the package they would receive in exchange for both Walker and Thompson would “better outfit their roster” around the skillsets of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Here’s the proposal in full:
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‘No-Brainer’ Proposed Kemba Trade Would Land Celtics Young Big, 2 Others