Getty New York Knicks guard Kemba Walker brings the ball up the court during a game against the Indiana Pacers.
When the New York Knicks inked Kemba Walker to a two-year, $18 million pact in August, it seemed as though it was a gamble worth making. After all, Walker was just 18 months removed from representing the Celtics as an Eastern Conference All-Star, and the Knicks needed a point guard.
The gamble has not paid off.
A matter of weeks into the 2021-22 campaign, Walker was benched by Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, a once unfathomable scenario. And while he showed signs of life in his pre-Christmas return to the lineup, dropping a 44-spot along the way, the 31-year-old currently finds himself at what may be the low point of his NBA career.
He has gone scoreless in back-to-back games, after having been blanked just one other time over the previous eight seasons. Meanwhile, he’s eclipsed the 20-minute mark just once over his last five games.
All of this leads fans to wonder — what are the Knicks’ plans with Walker at the trade deadline? Team insider Marc Berman may have just provided the answer to that question.
Berman: Knicks Looking to Deal
In his latest update on the Walker situation for the New York Post, Berman dropped a perhaps unsurprising nugget on whether the club is actively seeking a divorce from the four-time All-Star. He wrote:
According to a source, 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.
The Reddish factor is definitely something to consider. As it stands, the former No. 10 overall pick hasn’t been a part of Thibodeau’s rotation since New York traded for him last month. However, the team parted with a significant asset in a first-round pick (plus Kevin Knox) in order to acquire him.
That’s not something you do if you don’t intend to play a guy. And while Burks isn’t a natural point guard, that may not be something the Knicks can get in a Walker deal anyway.
Per Berman’s sources, Kemba’s trade value has cratered:
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,’’ the source said. “I can definitely see a team rolling the dice with Kemba.’’
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Walker Struggling to Adjust to His New Existence
As relayed by The Post, the transition from floor leader to tertiary piece has been a tough one for Walker. However, he’s doing what he can to make the best of a strange, new situation.
“It’s pretty difficult,” Walker said. “It’s just so different. It’s a different time in my career. I’m in a whole different position and role. But yeah, that’s on me to learn how to play with guys and learn when to get my shots and it’s just taking more time than what I’d like to expect.”
He added, “I’m just kind of out there — I’m the one playing off these guys. I’m playing off these guys. So I’m waiting for my opportunities. And I’m still learning where to be aggressive and things of that nature on this team. I can’t say it enough, it’s different. It’s just different for me.”
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