On November 30, Beijing time, New York Knicks coach Thibodeau said in an interview that the team will reduce the rotation, and Kemba Walker will not appear in the team's rotation lineup. This means that Kemba Walker was abandoned by the Knicks. It is worth mentioning that Kemba Walker has just joined the team in the offseason, and he has only played 18 games for his new club.
Last season, Kemba Walker played for the Celtics, playing in 43 games for the team, averaging 19.3 points, 4 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. But during the season, the Celtics traded Kemba Walker to the Thunder. Subsequently, Kemba Walker reached a buyout agreement with the Thunder. Offseason, Kemba Walker signed to the New York Knicks for a 2-year, $17.9 million price.
After joining the New York Knicks, Kemba Walker played just 18 games for the team. Walker has averaged 24.5 minutes per game since the season, and he has 11.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists, all of which are career lows. It is worth mentioning that Kemba Walker has a plus-minus of -122 when he is on the court, which is the lowest plus-minus player in the NBA with a winning percentage of more than 50%.
In an interview, Knicks coach Thibodeau said: "First of all, I personally have a lot of respect for Kemba and his achievements. But I had to make the most suitable choice for the team. We have to make changes, it will be difficult for three defenders to play on the pitch at the same time. We want to line up a bigger lineup and improve defensive confrontation. We want to make some changes. ”
Kemba Walker is only 1.83 m tall, Fourniers is 2.01 m, Barrett is 1.98 m, and Randall is 2.03 m. The Knicks' overall short starting lineup is the main reason Thibodeau wants to make a change. After taking Kemba Walker, 1.98-meter Alec Burks will be in the Knicks' starting lineup. In the last game against the Hawks, Alec Burks started 39 minutes and shot 7-of-17, including 4-of-7 from three-point range, contributing 23 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.
After Being Beaten into the Cold Palace, Kemba Walker will definitely seek a trade next. According to the NBA's regulations, new players in the offseason can open the trading window on December 15. There is currently news that the Western Clippers are interested in trading Kemba Walker. Kemba Walker, 31, was a four-time All-Star and averaged 19.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game in his career.