Small ball has been prevalent in the NBA league for the past few years. Players frantically shoot three-pointers on the offensive end, which has become the norm of the game. As the proportion of three-pointers in the game increases, this skill has also become an important measure of a player's ability. But this is not a panacea, in the NBA, the three-point shooting rate is as high as 41.3%, still there will be no ball to play. For example, the Knicks' Kemba Walker.
Walker hasn't played since Thibodeau chose to put Alec Burks in the Knicks starting lineup on Nov. 26. Thibodeau hoped to improve the Knicks' defensive intensity through a change of formation, but without any success. The Knicks lost seven of the nine games Walker missed.
Statistically, Kemba Walker's performance is not bad. He averaged 11.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.06 steals per game. He shoots 41.3 percent from three-point range and averages 2.1 three-pointers per game. The abandonment of Kemba Walker is not a matter of ability, but only that it is not suitable for the style of play that Thibodeau likes.
Over the past 2 years, what happened to Kemba Walker has been somewhat sympathetic. He first became an All-Star starting guard before being abandoned by the team with a serious knee injury. After reaching a buyout with the Thunder, Walker signed a two-year, $17.9 million contract with his hometown team, the Knicks. In the new season, he played only 18 games for the Knicks before being abandoned by Thibodeau.
Speaking about it, Kemba Walker said: "I might be angry, but at the end of the day, there are some young people here who adore me. Maybe I can be a role model. I love being with my teammates and I'll cheer for them until I can't stand it anymore. ”
Apparently, Kemba Walker had thought about leaving the New York Knicks. But from the latest reports, no team in the league is willing to take him, even if his annual salary is less than $9 million. Other teams are worried about Kemba Walker's knee injury. This has resulted in Kemba Walker being virtually unpopular on the trading market.