Getty Kemba Walker, Boston Celtics
When the Boston Celtics traded away Kemba Walker during the off-season the move made perfect sense.
Walker was hindered by knee injuries and was seemingly incapable of participating in back-to-back games. But when the New York Knicks decided to take a flyer on a hometown product following Walker’s buyout from the Oklahoma City Thunder, Celtics fans were happy to see their former guard get another opportunity.
Things started off well enough for the Bronx native, over his first ten games, the veteran guard averaged 12.2 points, 3.2 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game, on 43% shooting from the field and a mind-blowing 45% shooting from three-point range. But as the season wore on, those pesky knee issues began to surface, and Walker’s impact rapidly dwindled.
Knicks have a 116.3 defensive rating and a -13.3 net rating with Kemba Walker on the court, per @HoopsRumors. Coach Tom Thibodeau has benched Walker. Now, Thibs will start Alec Burks at point guard. New York has a +5.2 net rating with Burks on the court.
Just nine games later, head coach Tom Thibodeau decided it was in the team’s best interest if Walker was removed from the rotation entirely, “It’s a tough decision to make but you always have to do what you think is best for the team,” the Knicks head coach said at the time.
Knicks Considering Trading Walker
Eventually, Walker fought his way back into the Knicks rotation and proved to be a stable presence off the bench for them. However, after a run of games, Walker’s knee issues again became a problem which forced him to miss nine games throughout early January.
Since returning to the rotation, Walker hasn’t managed to impact games the way he did in his prime, and with the Knicks struggling, it seems that they’re now willing to move on from their hometown guard.
The New York Knicks would like to trade Kemba Walker by the deadline, per @NYPost_Berman
“One NBA source said he doubts any team would be willing to give up anything beyond a future second-round draft pick for Walker.”
“It’s not that a team won’t want him, but I don’t see [anyone] giving up something valuable, I can definitely see a team rolling the dice with Kemba,’’ a source reportedly told Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Another reason why the Knicks are reportedly considering trading Walker is due to the new addition of Cam Reddish. According to Berman, “the Knicks would like to trade him by the deadline. That would likely open up a spot for the recently acquired Cam Reddish because Alec Burks would slide into the point-guard role.”
Walker’s contract runs until the end of the 2022-23 season, with the guard earning an average salary of $8.9 million per year, which while not ridiculous, will make teams think twice before acquiring a guard with long-term knee issues.
Walker Embracing the Final Chapter of His Career
“It can be difficult at times but it’s just a new challenge for me. Which is fine. I’ll find my way. As a player, I’m not a person who is never going to be negative towards my team or anything. So of course we got to work through things. Not everything is going to work all the time,” Walker said during a recent interview.
The veteran point guard has gone scoreless in his last two games for the Knicks, and when you factor in his defensive inabilities, you begin to wonder how Walker can impact games for the Knicks if he’s not sprinting over screens or pulling up for three in transition.
Walker has always been a “score-first” point guard, and while his assist numbers are acceptable for a guard (5.3 per game over his career) he will find it harder to manipulate opposing defenses if he isn’t a threat to score.
Unfortunately, Brad Stevens saw these issues coming and opted to make a trade before the season began. While in Boston, Walker was a consummate professional and carried himself with grace, but it was clear he no longer possessed the burst that made him such a frightening guard during his time with the Charlotte Hornets. And now, Walker could find himself on yet another roster, which would make it four teams in slightly over six months.
We will know more in the coming week, as the February 10 trade deadline is fast approaching.