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Kemba Walker signing with Knicks after Thunder buyout

Halldan1

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Jan 1, 2003
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Kemba Walker is coming home.

The Bronx native has agreed to join the Knicks and form a point-guard tandem with Derrick Rose after being bought out by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, according to an NBA source.

There was no trade market for Walker given his max contract — a four-year, $140 million deal signed with the Hornets that has two years and $74 million left on it.

With the Knicks adding Walker into their remaining $8 million or so salary-cap space after Rose’s cap hold comes off, the Thunder had financial motivation to take this course. They either gain by an offset clause or Walker was able to take less from OKC in a buyout, knowing of the Knicks’ cap money coming his way to return to New York City.

The 31-year-old’s play slipped this past season as his body broke down due to knee injuries, playing in 43 of 72 games with Boston. But the Knicks feel Walker is still an All-Star-caliber guard if his body is right.

Walker, a four-time All-Star, showed glimpses last season, averaging 20 points and five assists after the All-Star Break.

Walker had a balky left knee all season and it got worse in the first-round playoff series vs. the Nets. He looked shot vs. in the Nets’ 4-1 ouster. Walker missed two games in the series.

“The last thing you want to do is be injured and not be there in the playoffs for your teammates. It’s tough, very tough. I’m a competitor and I love to play basketball,” Walker said after the playoff elimination.

“I do anything I can to help teammates win a game, and because I couldn’t do that I’m really down. It’s a tough situation, but I have to look ahead. I want to continue to get healthy and get better. That’s my goal. I’m planning on a big summer and getting myself feeling good again. It’s been awhile since I’ve really had time off. This is an important time for me.”

The Knicks, whose offseason appears finished, have a very real possibility of maintaining their fourth-seed standing if Walker returns to All-Star form.

The Knicks swapped out Elfrid Payton for Walker at point guard and upgraded Evan Fournier for Reggie Bullock at shooting guard.

The Thunder initially acquired Walker from the Celtics in June for the purpose of flipping him.

But there ended up being no market for Walker given his contact and the Knicks got lucky.

When Walker was a free agent in 2019 and chose to leave Charlotte for Boston, he never considered the Knicks. His family, sources said at the time, felt it was too much distractions playing in his hometown with family and friends. Walker’s family moved to Charlotte when he became a Hornet to get out of the city, in fact.
 
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I think the two-headed tandem of Kemba and Rose can work very well for the Knicks. Rose showed last year he has a ton left in the tank, but gets exposed and wears down with too many minutes. I think Walker’s in the same boat. Obviously there are injury risks but should be able to manage both their minutes especially during the regular season.
 
24 min apiece. The rookie PG the Knicks drafted, McBride, has 2 fantastic mentors now. I think the Knicks can repeat as a 4th seed if they manage the roster minutes properly. The team has scoring and depth. Just a matter of health
 
I mean pretty savvy and some luck but Kemba for nothing is a huge win!

Seriously! Of all the scenarios I saw looking at how the Knicks could get some help at PG, this is by far better than anything people were even hoping.
 
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Seriously! Of all the scenarios I saw looking at how the Knicks could get some help at PG, this is by far better than anything people were even hoping.
There's negative nancy's out there as expected for every thing but the alternatives is to throw a ton of money at someone older (Paul) or trade away a ton of picks (Ball). This is best for business to get an All-Star caliber guard for the minimum. Preserves cap space for another depth piece or a trade
 
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I think the two-headed tandem of Kemba and Rose can work very well for the Knicks. Rose showed last year he has a ton left in the tank, but gets exposed and wears down with too many minutes. I think Walker’s in the same boat. Obviously there are injury risks but should be able to manage both their minutes especially during the regular season.
Walker and Rose are the Knicks version of Bryce Aiken. Very talented but very fragile.

And don't laugh but keep your fingers crossed...Aiken has played great to date in practice. Showing the ability we all expected to see last year.
 
Walker and Rose are the Knicks version of Bryce Aiken. Very talented but very fragile.

And don't laugh but keep your fingers crossed...Aiken has played great to date in practice. Showing the ability we all expected to see last year.
It's a good comparison, although Rose was on the court far more last year than Aiken was, and Rose showed the ability to play really significant minutes in the playoffs when they needed him. He just isn't as effective. But to your point that injury-waiting-to-happen looms with both of these talented offensive players, just like it does with Aiken.
 
I have talked to various people who have attended practices and to a man they were surprised how good Aiken looks. Praying that holds up.

Same people were also surprised by Jackson. Told me he was way ahead of what he showed in limited minutes last year.
 
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I think Walker will excel under the bright lights of The Garden. He’s the type of player that will have extra motivation because of he’ll play in front of the home crowd and he has a chance to push the Knicks into the top 3 of the Eastern Conference.

Perfect guy to embrace the pressures of NYC
 
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