All-Star point guard Kemba Walker is on the move after being traded to the Thunder after his brief stop in Boston. News broke earlier today that the Thunder have bought out Walker’s contract to allow him to become a free agent.
That being said, Kemba Walker is reportedly headed to the big apple but not to the Brooklyn Nets. Walker is going to call Madison Square Garden home and will play for the New York Knicks in the coming season.
“Per Bleacher Report‘s Jake Fischer, the Knicks plan to offer the Bronx, New York, native a contract that will pay him around $8 million annually.” The 31 year old point guard was sent to the Boston Celtics via a sign and trade deal that sent point guard Terry Rozier to the Charlotte Hornets where he averaged a career-high 20 points per game.
As Rozier came into his own in Charlotte, Walker was held back by a string of injuries and rarely saw postseason action in Boston. This was another cause for the Celtics to part ways with him as they shipped him off to the OKC Thunder for the return of big man Al Horford.
Kemba Walker coming home to New York?
Kemba Walker made the all-star team the finals three seasons with the Hornets and his first year with Boston. After averaging a career-high 25 points per game in his final season with the Hornets his stats dropped when he arrived in Boston. His first year there was still successful as the Celtics made it to the Eastern Conference Finals but they fell to the Miami Heat who would then fall short of the championship after losing to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The New York Knicks had an incredible season last year making the playoffs for what seemed like the first time in forever. Now with all their returning talent as well as the addition of Kemba Walker they have solidified their position as a playoff team and have also gotten much better.
It will be very interesting to see what kind of effect Walker has on the court in NYC and how well he will mesh with the other players. But we will have to wait till the season tips off to find out how good the Knicks really are. It is very exciting and great for the NBA to have a Knicks team that is making the playoffs constantly.
