Ex-Celtic Kemba Walker ‘just waiting’ for interest from NBA teams originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Kemba Walker is just two seasons removed from averaging 19.3 points per game for the Boston Celtics. But as of now, he’s virtually unemployed.
The veteran guard was traded from the New York Knicks to the Pistons in July and is expected to be bought out once he and Detroit agree on terms. Any team could contact Walker about joining them for the 2022-23 season, but with less than two weeks to go until the regular season, the 32-year-old says he hasn’t gotten any calls.
“As far as closing my career, I’ve got a few more years left in my opinion, so I’m not thinking about that yet,” Walker told The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn. “We’ll see. I’m just waiting. [Nobody’s] reached out to me. I’m just waiting.”
While Walker is a four-time All-Star with an impressive basketball resume, he’s dealt with a nagging knee injury that led the Celtics to trade him in a July 2021 deal that landed them Al Horford. Walker joined his hometown New York Knicks for the 2021-22 season but appeared in just 37 games, averaging 11.6 points and 3.5 assists before head coach Tom Thibodeau relegated him to the bench.
Walker believes he’s still a capable NBA player and said he’d welcome a return to Charlotte, his NBA home for his first eight seasons.
Unfortunately for Walker, his age, knee injury and defensive limitations at 6-foot, 185 pounds make it hard to justify giving him regular minutes. He’s a great locker room presence and leader, however, so he’s probably best suited for a role on a young, rebuilding team instead of a contender like Boston.
“I just want to be able to play basketball again; I don’t care if it’s the bench or not,” Walker said. “I started off my career playing basketball coming off the bench. Who cares?
“I just want to be able to play ball like I love to do, being around some great, great teammates and just have fun.”
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