"I don't know if you want a max salary on a guy like that" - Top orthopedic surgeon warns New York Knicks about Kemba Walker's knee concerns
Kemba Walker recently agreed to a buyout with the Oklahoma City Thunder after being traded by the Boston Celtics. Over the past few days, he had been heavily linked with the New York Knicks. Head coach Tom Thibodeau reportedly considers the 4-time NBA All-Star as a potential solution to their point-guard problems.
With the deal now having been made official, questions over Kemba Walker's fitness have come up in recent days.
Walker had an injury-disrupted season in which he started just 43 games for the Boston Celtics. The Celtics had an underwhelming season considering the fact that they were considered title contenders until the injury to Jaylen Brown.
Walker, who was previously an All-Star for 4 straight seasons, produced decent numbers when called upon and will be looking at the new season as a potential opportunity to get back to form.
Recently, Dr. Wellington Hsu, professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Northwestern University, spoke at length about Kemba Walker’s injury. He posed some serious questions over the potential $17 million deal he is rumored to sign with the Knicks.
Leading sports orthopedic raises serious questions over Kemba Walker’s knee injuries
Speaking to the New York Post, Dr. Wellington Hsu claimed that the stem-cell injections that Kemba Walker took before last season are an indicator of the guard suffering from arthritis. Walker had reportedly received stem cells from his hip injected into his knee cavity:
“It can help pain and inflammation from arthritis,’’ Hsu said. “But the articular cartilage that lines the bone of the knee is wearing down. I’ve published many papers on how that knee problem is a really impactful injury for a basketball players more than soccer, football, hockey. Wear-and-tear, especially when you’re a guard and need lateral movement, that’s when the knee swells up the most. It’s very impactful for any guard — point guard or shooting guard.”
Hsu raised questions over Kemba Walker’s ability to be available at all times, and said that the 4-time All-Star is bound to have lingering issues throughout his career:
“Any GM would look at history of arthritis knee injuries in guards and would know that he’s on a game count or minutes count. He’s not going to be available all the time. I don’t know if you want a max salary on a guy like that, especially if you’re in your 30’s. If he was in his 20’s, there’s chance he can regenerate some of that tissue over time. It’s going to be dicey on how much he plays. An ACL injury, that ligament will heal and be as strong as it was for basketball. That cartilage wear and tear is more risky, more concerning.’’
Regardless, the New York Knicks might not be concerned, especially considering the overall financial value of the contract. Kemba Walker is still a potential All-Star. Walker will reportedly earn $8 million next season, with the New York Knicks looking to sort out a problem position that they struggled at throughout the 2020-21 NBA season.