Should the Boston Celtics look to trade Kemba Walker in the upcoming 2021 NBA off-season?
Kemba Walker's stint with the Boston Celtics could be coming to an end this offseason as the franchise is reportedly looking to trade the four-time All-Star.
The Celtics have already started their preparations for the offseason by making head coach Brad Stevens the president of basketball operations after Danny Ainge decided to resign from his duties as the front-office chief.
They have now begun their search for a new head coach and also aim to surround the team's young stars, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, with the best players possible for next season.
Kemba Walker happens to be one of the players who could leave the franchise as part of the squad revamp. He averaged 19.3 points and 4.9 assists on 42% field goal shooting in the 2020-21 season. He was crucial to the Boston Celtics' offensive setup but played just 43 games during the regular season because of injuries.
Will it be the right call for Boston Celtics to trade Kemba Walker?
Kemba Walker is a highly talented player, but he is prone to injuries. He will be paid roughly $74 million over the next two years by the franchise if he stays.
Walker is regarded as one of the most overpaid players in the league. He is, however, someone who has struggled to be available for the team consistently. The Boston Celtics should thus look to offload Kemba Walker as it could allow them to create some salary flexibility for next season.
On top of that, Walker featured in just three of the five games that the Boston Celtics played in their first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets in the 2021 NBA playoffs. He didn't perform well in those three games either, averaging 12.7 points per game on 31% field goal shooting and 17.6% from the deep.
His trade value may be negative at this point, but the Boston Celtics could still land some key role players that could prove to be a great supporting cast for the team's young stars Brown and Tatum in exchange for Walker.
It will also improve their chances of re-signing Evan Fournier, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Multiple executives believe he is looking for a contract that would pay him $15-20 million per year, and the Celtics are keen on re-signing him as well. If the Boston Celtics are to agree to that, they will have to shop Kemba Walker to have the salary flexibility to re-sign Fournier.
The rest of the Eastern Conference teams like the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks are looking stronger than ever. If the Boston Celtics do want to stay relevant, they will have to try and find better options in the market that will certainly be an upgrade on Kemba Walker.
Also read: NBA Rumors: Multiple executives believe Boston Celtics' guard Evan Fournier could look for $15-20 million per year in free agency
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