The Phoenix Suns could use some help at the point guard position.
Would a 4-time NBA All-Star be the perfect fit to back up Chris Paul?
One NBA Eastern Conference executive told Heavy.com that he thinks that Kemba Walker, who could be bought out of his contract with the Detroit Pistons, would be a great fit with the Suns.
“He was the Plan B for the Clippers but they went and got John Wall so now he’s got to figure out something else,” the executive told Sean Deveney. “There was talk about him going to Charlotte, and that would be a good story for a team that might need someone with the (Miles) Bridges stuff. But if he wants to play for a contender, he’s probably best off looking at Phoenix. They need another point guard, they need depth behind Paul. Give him a non-guaranteed deal and see how it goes, you can still make a change in January.”
More:Kevin Durant trade odds: Boston Celtics favored, Phoenix Suns not out of the running for star
Walker, 32, averaged 11.6 points per game last season with the New York Knicks in 37 games. The Knicks traded him to the Pistons in the offseason.
Walker averaged 19.5 points per game in his career. He averaged 19.9 points per game in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with the Boston Celtics.
Heavy.com’s Eli Becht wrote that Walker could be a great fit with the Suns: “Despite flaming out with the Knicks, Walker has shown he can still score in this league, and perhaps that’s why a bench position would be best for him right now . . .
Walker signed to a team-friendly deal last season, and even that wasn’t enough for him to keep a rotation spot with the struggling Knicks, so a non-guaranteed deal might be what he has to settle for with his next team to rebuild some value. Coming off the bench in Phoenix would be a good fit for Walker as all he’d have to do is score a bit while running the offense for brief periods of time. The Suns have a deep team, as evidenced by their title run a few years back and then again by securing the best record in the NBA last season.”
More:Phoenix Suns’ Jae Crowder trade speculation includes Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks
Not everyone agreed with Becht’s assessment.
Fansided’s Peter O’Keefe wrote that Walker isn’t the answer for the Suns.
“Walker has been a marvelous NBA player, yet at just 32 years of age, there are growing question marks on what value he has left at the NBA level,” he wrote. “He deserves an opportunity in a backup role, but should it be with the Suns? The best case would be Walker proving a productive regular season player for 15 minutes per game. But even in that circumstance, his defensive weaknesses would make him a liability and near unplayable come playoff time. As a championship contending team who needs to squeeze value out of their last roster spots, Phoenix needs someone who they believe can be a significant contributor to a playoff run. On exposed evidence in the last 12 months, Walker doesn’t present as that option.”
Sports Illustrated’s Donnie Druin questioned Walker’s ability to stay healthy.
“In a vacuum, Walker would be a strong presence for the Suns to supplement scoring behind Booker, or run the offense when Paul is resting,” he wrote. “Yet the best ability is availability, and that’s something Walker hasn’t provided on a consistent basis in recent memory. The four-time NBA All-Star hasn’t played more than 56 games in a season since 2018-19.”
SB Nation’s Rod Argent wrote that Walker could be an intriguing option for the Suns.
“If he’s willing to play for the vet minimum, then I’m all for it,” he wrote. “There are durability issues of course but he can still play great on any given night as evidenced by a 44 point, 8 assist and 9 rebound game he had last season against the Wizards on 12/23/21. Because of his recent injury problems , I wouldn’t want him instead of Cam Payne though but I think having both of them on the bench would give the Suns additional firepower at PG at a bargain price.”
Do you think Kemba Walker would be a good fit on the Suns, should he become available?
More:Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker ranked No. 1 in the NBA shooting guard rankings for the 2022-23 season
Reach Jeremy Cluff at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.