Since being drafted 9th overall in the 2011 NBA Draft, Boston Celtics star Kemba Walker has been a very underrated point guard and does not receive the credit he deserves. Dating all the way back to his days at UCONN, Walker has always been a guy that was slept on, even after he was the main reason why his school won the 2011 National Championship.
Walker is now 30-years old and is still in the prime of his career, as he has made four consecutive NBA All-Star game appearances and has been having some of the best statistical seasons of his career. The 9-year veteran guard has averaged 22.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists and has shot 43.4% from the floor and 38% from three-point range over the last four seasons.
He has consistently been a reliable scorer and floor general as he has not missed many games over the years, but after dealing with some lingering knee issues last season, Walker decided to get some treatment on his left knee this offseason. After receiving a stem cell injection in his left knee this offseason, Kemba has been taking part in a strengthening program and rehab program to try and get back to full strength.
As of right now, the Celtics are hopeful to get him back out on the court by late-January, but it seems more realistic that Walker will make his debut sometime in February. Without him on the court, the Celtics have had their struggles at times and while it would be nice to have him fully healthy and on the court, they may not actually need him.
This season, Kemba Walker is owed $34.3M and is under contract through the 2022-23 season, assuming he opts into his $37.6M player option for the 2022-23 season. While he is an NBA All-Star level talent and a great all-around offensive talent, him being out has allowed Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown to play at a high-level and continue growing on their potential.
It may be in the best interest of the Boston Celtics to explore some trade possibilities for Walker, especially given the circumstance with his knee and the issues he has had with them in his past. While they are rivals of Boston, the Miami Heat are always looking to acquire NBA All-Star talent and they could put together some intriguing trade packages to bring in the dynamic scoring guard.
There are no indications yet on whether or not Boston will explore trades for Walker this season, but in the event that they do, here are three trade packages for the Celtics to send Kemba Walker to the Miami Heat.
