What is Kemba Walker’s playing status for the 2022-23 NBA season? All you need to know
Four-time All-Star point guard Kemba Walker is without a team following his disappointing stint with the New York Knicks last season. However, the 32-year-old is nearing an agreement to join his next team. According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, Walker could sign with the Dallas Mavericks as soon as this week.
“The Dallas Mavericks are in advanced talks to sign Kemba Walker and could complete the signing of the former All-Star guard as early as this week pending physical examinations, league sources tell The Stein Line,” Stein said in his recent newsletter.
This was confirmed by The Athletic's Shams Charania, who said Dallas plans to waive Argentinian point guard Facundo Campazzo to make room for Walker.
“The Dallas Mavericks plan to sign Kemba Walker and waive Facundo Campazzo, sources tell @TheAthletic,” Charania reported.
The Dallas Mavericks plan to sign Kemba Walker and waive Facundo Campazzo, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
Kemba Walker averaged 11.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists on 40.3% shooting in 37 games for the Knicks last season. Walker struggled with a knee injury before being shut down by New York in February.
He did show some flashes of his former self before being shut down, including dropping a season-high 44 points on December 23, 2021, against the Washington Wizards. However, his Knicks tenure was considered to be a massive disappointment overall, especially considering it represented a homecoming for Walker, who is from The Bronx.
Walker was later traded to the Detroit Pistons during the 2022 NBA Draft as part of a three-team trade involving the Charlotte Hornets. However, Detroit eventually waived him on October 17 and he never played a game for the Pistons. Walker has been a free agent since.
Walker has maintained that he’s had offers since he entered free agency and that he’s just waiting for the right opportunity. He’s also said that he is in good shape physically. It appears that he views Dallas as the right fit. Walker will now look to recapture some of the magic from his Hornets and Celtics days, presumably as a sixth man for the Mavericks.
For Marc Stein's full report, click here.
What should the Dallas Mavericks expect from Kemba Walker?
The Dallas Mavericks (9-10) have lost four straight games and are 11th in the Western Conference. The loss of guard Jalen Brunson to New York in the offseason has left a big hole in the team’s backcourt around superstar guard Luka Doncic. Therefore, the Mavs will need Walker to share the scoring and playmaking load with Doncic.
Walker won’t be able to replace all of Brunson’s production. However, if he can be a reliable sixth man for Dallas, it will definitely give the team a boost. Dallas is now 0-5 in the games that Doncic scores below 30 points. Besides Doncic’s league-leading 33.1 points per game, Dallas just has three other players averaging at least 10.0 ppg and none averaging at least 20.0 ppg.
Facundo Campazzo, who Walker is reportedly replacing, is averaging only 1.3 points, 1.1 assists and 0.8 steals per game on 23.1% shooting in eight games. So, the bar is pretty low for Kemba Walker to succeed and he has a great chance to make an instant impact for Dallas.
Also read: Luka Doncic’s unequivocal claim about Giannis Antetokounmpo: "He’s the best player in the NBA right now"