Kemba Walker’s only highlight moment in Dallas was scoring 32 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds in the loss to the Cavaliers. The 32-year-old veteran looks like he still has the power to fight, but the reality is cruel. The Lone Ranger officially announced that it will no longer cooperate with Walker, and the four-time All-Star is unemployed again.
Kidd will not be blinded by 32 points. He knows that under a large sample size, Walker just can’t do it. He is a ball-holding core type of play, but as he gets older, Walker has been slapped on the beach by the back wave.
I have always believed that there is a “stereotype” or prejudice in the NBA world. If the word-of-mouth of a star collapses, it will have an irreversible impact. Not as good as Dwight Howard and DeMarcus Cousins, who were reckless and arrogant when they were young and did whatever they wanted. When they lose their star halo, they will be quickly abandoned. Walker was also very proud in Charlotte, turning down a non-max offer from Michael Jordan and going to a high-profile team.
In my opinion, the worst choice Walker made in his career was to sign a four-year, 141 million contract with the Celtics. There is nothing wrong with taking a lot of money, but Boston is a big market team, and staying in such a team is good or bad. Once Walker underperforms, his flaws are magnified. The management of each NBA team watched Lukai’s ball more than they watched the Magic.
If he had stayed in Charlotte at a price lower than the maximum salary, Walker’s life could have been very good. With the Hornets’ configuration, even if they don’t make the playoffs, no one will blame Walker. Since the 2016-17 season, Walker has been selected as an All-Star for 4 consecutive years. In his peak year, he scored 60 points in a single game and 25.6 points and 5.9 assists in a single season. This performance is almost at the All-Star level. Even if he can’t compete for the championship, he can be regarded as a prince. On the streets of Charlotte, kids would idolize him.
Walker’s position in the Celtics is embarrassing. He is the boss signed by the team with a maximum salary, but Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the team’s visible future. Walker’s existence is more like a stepping stone and pedal for the Gemini stars. Sure enough, Walker quickly proved how good he is in the high-end game. Stevens has been hurt so many times that he can only bite the bullet and trust him. But Walker also knows that it is only a matter of time before he is given up by the Celtics who are aiming for the championship.
After being given up by the Celtics, Walker did not learn his lesson. He joined the Knicks, one of the most watched teams in the United States. Coach Thibodeau is known for his stubbornness and dominance. In the Knicks, Walker played 44 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists and then lost the game, but the result was the same as the Lone Ranger this time. Walker’s limitations are deeply hurting himself. Coach Thibodeau quickly lost patience with him, and Walker was sidelined by the team since then.
Although I think Walker’s NBA career is over, he is getting older and has lost the speed he needs to survive. Such a player is destined to be eliminated by the league. The Lone Ranger won’t look at Walker at all, after all, he has been kicked out by the team.