High-profile point guard Kemba Walker will not be a part of the New York Knicks’ rotation moving forward, head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters today.
The 31-year-old Bronx-native signed a 2-year, $17.9 million deal this past offseason to play with his hometown team but the experiment has lasted just 18 games. Alec Burks will instead start for the Knicks. The Knicks currently sit at 7th in the Eastern Conference at 11-9 and boast a middle-of-the-pack offence and defence.
Walker himself has struggled mightily, with the four-time All-Star averaging career lows in minutes, points, assists and rebounds. Despite playing at an All-NBA level as recently as 2019, Walker’s net rating is the lowest among Knicks’ rotation players, with opponents outscoring the team by more than 13 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor.
Astoundingly, the Knicks’ defensive rating is the league’s top when Walker sits but is the league’s worst when he plays, whilst their offence exhibits a similar yet less drastic swing. An 11-year veteran with stints Charlotte and Boston, Walker has never been known for his work on the defensive end but drop-offs for smaller guards often come rapidly and noticeably.
Despite a tough start to the season, not all hope should be lost for the former star. As ineffective as he may be defensively, Walker is still a good three-point shooter who has long been known as a skilled creator and playmaker, whether in isolation or as a pick-and-roll ball-handler and provides value as a cool-headed and popular veteran.
The Knicks will face the Nets tomorrow in an intra-city showdown that always draws significant attention.
