On February 24, Beijing time, the Knicks officially announced that Kemba Walker will not play for the team this season. Knicks president Leon Rose issued a statement: "We respect Kemba Walker's decision not to play again this season, and he will fully prepare for next season. Thibodeau revealed that he wasn't sure Walker would train with the team.
Walker has played 37 games for the Knicks this season, and when he plays, the team has a record of 16 wins and 21 losses, or 43 percent; when he's out of the game, the team is 9-13, with a 41 percent win rate. In the 2021 offseason, he signed the Knicks to a two-year, $17.9 million contract that expires in the summer of 2023. Since the Knicks don't want Walker, why don't they send him away on the trade deadline?
NBA star Keith Smith, unhappy with the Knicks' decision, wrote: "You might as well just buy Out Walker and let him go to a team you want to go to." "Who does this operation of the Knicks remind you of?" rocket. Before the start of the season, the Rockets made a deal with Wall, who would not play any games for the team this season.
Speaking of the Knicks, Thibodeau's disdain for Walker wasn't a day or two. As early as November 28, 2021, Thibodeau announced that Walker had fallen out of the team rotation. Rose injured his ankle on December 17 and Walker was reintroduced by Thibodeau on December 19, leaving him without the ball for three weeks. Now Walker has bid farewell to this season early, which is also a relief for both sides.
Walker wasn't incompetent, it was just that Thibodeau didn't trust him very much. Walker averaged 25.6 minutes per game this season, averaging 11.6 points, three rebounds and 3.5 assists, shooting 40.3 percent from the field, 36.7 percent from three-point range and 84.5 percent from the free throw line. He ranks 263rd in the league for offensive efficiency and 314th in the league for defensive efficiency.
Come to think of it, Walker isn't yet 32 years old, and if the Knicks buy it out now, there must be other teams that want Walker. Remember Walker three years ago? In the 2018-19 season, he averaged 25.6 points, 4.4 boards and 5.9 assists per game, and was selected for the season's best team three teams. On November 18, 2018, in the Game of the Hornets and Philadelphia, Walker scored 60 points!
With Walker named to the All-Team, he and the Hornets can sign up to a $221 million super salary for five years in the summer of 2019. Of course, Jordan certainly wouldn't give him that much, Walker wasn't supergiant, and the Hornets didn't improve. Walker's psychological expectation was 180 million in 5 years, but the Hornets gave him an offer of less than 170 million in 5 years, and the two sides eventually collapsed.
In the 2019 offseason, teams such as the Knicks and Celtics were chasing Walker, and Angie gave Walker a four-year, $141 million contract, which was the biggest contract that the Green Army could offer him at that time. Over the next two seasons, Walker was plagued by injuries and played 56 and 43 regular-season games, with record career attendance.
In the summer of 2021, the Green Army sent Walker to the Thunder in exchange for Horford. Walker also did not play for the Thunder, and the two sides quickly reached a buyout agreement. Walker had $74 million left on his 2-year contract, and he gave up $20 million to join the Knicks. Even if he signs a 2-year contract with the Knicks, he will lose about 2 million.
Since entering the NBA in 2011, Walker has been playing in the league for more than a decade, and he has also become a veteran. Best wishes Walker and hope to see him soon next season!