NBA Trade Rumors: New York Knicks might look to move Kemba Walker; John Wall a potential target
Recent NBA trade rumors suggest that the New York Knicks might be interested in the Houston Rockets' John Wall in exchange for Kemba Walker. Wall hasn't played a game this season. He was been warming the bench despite being healthy, whereas Walker's time in New York City might be coming to an end.
Kemba Walker's homecoming to New York City hasn't been a fairy tale like he expected it to be. He was over the moon when he signed for his hometown franchise, and the Knicks faithful thought that better days were ahead. However, not only has his addition to the team been underwhelming, it has also reached a point where coach Tom Thibodeau has removed him from the rotation entirely.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau tells reporters that Kemba Walker is out of the rotation, and Alec Burks will remain the starting point guard.
Now Alec Burks is filling in the point guard role for the time being. But when it comes to the playoffs, the New York Knicks will need a certified distributor and scorer. According to Bleacher Report's A. Sherrod Blakely, John Wall of the Houston Rockets is a potential target. Blakely reported:
"Multiple league sources believe the Knicks will look to trade Walker, whose value on the trade market, much like his production, is at an all-time low....A source close to the Knicks indicated New York may also have a potential trade partner in the Houston Rockets, who are eager to move John Wall."
Both John Wall and Kemba Walker are now off their respective team's rotations. But it isn't as easy as a simple point guard swap like John Wall and Russell Westbrook from last summer.
Unlike Wall and Westbrook who had identical salaries, Kemba Walker is on a much smaller deal compared to Wall. Walker was signed on a two-year $17.9 million deal in the offseason, whereas Wall is owed close to $91.7 million, including next season's player option.
As reported by Blakely, an Eastern Conference executive said,
"It's so tricky because you're talking about two players who are never going to get back to where they were and, to be frank, aren't going to live up to the contracts that are on the books for them now...You can't just add them and be good with that."
Many analysts suggest that it might be a multi-team trade deal. The New York Knicks have a short window to trade Walker, whose stock is steadily declining. The trade deadline is on February 10th, 2022, and the Knicks are going to be looking aggressively in the trade market.
Why did Kemba Walker get removed from the New York Knicks' rotation?
It was certainly not what the New York Knicks expected. The fanbase and many others in the NBA were shocked to hear that Kemba Walker, the huge free agency signing with his hometown team, is now off the team's rotation. But it isn't surprising when you look at the numbers.
New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau spoke to reporters following the team's practice on Monday, about his decision to replace Walker with Alec Burks in the starting lineup. He said:
"It's a tough decision to make, but you always have to do what you think is best for the team...It'd be tough to play three small guards together. I gave it consideration, and I've got great respect for who Kemba is as a person and all he's accomplished in this league."
For starters, Kemba Walker's defense has been abysmal. He was never known for his defensive prowess to begin with, but this season, it has plummetted to new depths.
He has a career-worst defensive rating of 116.3, and the Knicks have been outscored by 15 points per 100 possessions with Walker on the floor. Moreover, opponents are shooting at 50.8% against Walker, 6.5% better than their combined average.
Kemba Walker this season:
11.7 PPG
2.6 RPG
3.1 APG
24.5 MPG
All career-lows
The Knicks have been outscored by 122 points with Kemba on the floor this season, the worst +/- by any player on a winning team. https://t.co/OBiaO2DBkH
The New York Knicks have the best defensive rating in the league when Kemba Walker is on the bench, with 99.0. However, they are dead last in the league in that category (116.3) with Walker on the floor.
Additionally, Walker's defensive liabilities might be forgiven if he gave an incredible boost in offense. But so far, he has been terrible at that end of the floor as well. He is averaging 11.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, all career-lows. The Knicks are third-worst in the NBA in offense with Kemba Walker playing, and ninth-best with him off the floor.
The trajectory of Kemba Walker's career is certainly concerning, so only time will tell if he continues to be on the bench for New York or finds a new home.