During the 2021 NBA offseason, the New York Knicks thought they had lucked into addressing their need for a point guard. Kemba Walker was traded from the Boston Celtics to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a salary dump and would eventually agree to a buyout with the franchise to become a free agent.
Having a glaring need, Walker and the Knicks seemed like a natural fit. Derrick Rose had just helped the team stabilize things in the backcourt with the second unit but they needed a starter and Walker was tabbed as the guy.
Walker was returning home to play for the team that he grew up cheering for, something people dream of doing. It was something straight out of Disney, especially with how well things started.
“At first, it was a storybook. It was,” Walker said of his time in New York. “It was something I was really looking forward to. Any kid would dream of playing for their home team, and I’ve dreamed about that for a very long time.
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The Knicks won five out of their first six games and Walker was knocking down 3-pointers at an impressive clip. Walker scored in double-figures in the first seven games of his Knicks career, but things quickly began unraveling after that.
19 games into the season, head coach Tom Thibodeau decided that a change needed to be made. Walker was not only removed from the starting lineup but the rotation altogether as he sat out 10 straight games.
“When the opportunity came about, I was über-excited. But unfortunately, it just didn’t work out for me. Individually, I didn’t really fit the system and what those guys were trying to do over there. It just wasn’t for me.”
He was thrust back into the starting lineup for six games as the team dealt with injuries and players being in the league’s health and safety protocols. Some big scoring nights ensued as Walker scored 94 points in his first three games back in the lineup.
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However, that production fell off as he scored only 22 points in the next three games before being sidelined with an injury. He missed nine more games before playing in 13 out of the next 15 games. At that point, the league was hitting the All-Star break and it was agreed upon by Walker and the Knicks that he wouldn’t suit up for the team for the remainder of the season.
New York traded him to the Detroit Pistons in the offseason as part of their game plan to clear cap space, which they used to address the point guard position, signing Jalen Brunson. Walker has been putting in work hoping to get back on an NBA roster.
“It’s kind of actually bringing me back to my roots and how much I have to grind to get what I want,” Walker said. “But it’s different, it’s a different situation for me, not being on an NBA team. I’m just trying my best to adjust to the situation and just continue to work.”
Walker is the consummate professional, which he showed last season with the Knicks. No matter how bad things got, he remained an excellent teammate, doing whatever he could to try and help the team win games.
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While his once-elite agility and speed have waned in recent seasons because of chronic knee injuries, Walker has not lost confidence in himself. He is waiting for his chance and is positive one will come as he strengthens his body awaiting the opportunity to continue his career.
“I’m just sitting back being patient, just giving myself a chance to continue to get my knee right, get my legs stronger, get my body stronger,” Walker said on “The Woj Pod.” “I’m just going to wait it out, I’m going to be patient. I think my time will come. I really do. When it does come, I’m going to try my best to be as ready as possible.”
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While Walker likely can’t handle starter minutes any longer, he can still provide a team in need of some scoring punch in their backcourt. If there was one thing that he showed with the Knicks last season is that he can still score in bunches and knock down 3-point shots.
There are plenty of teams in the NBA that could use some more shooting and it would not be surprising to see a contending team give Walker a call as some insurance at the end of their roster.
