The New York Knicks made headlines for their decision to remove former NBA All-Star Kemba Walker not only from their starting lineup, but from their rotation altogether.
There is a lot of thought that Walker will end up being moved ahead of the NBA trade deadline. The respect level the Knicks hold for Walker is a factor in him
Walker has already been traded once as of late. The Boston Celtics moved him to the Oklahoma City Thunder in order to move on from the ending of the four-year, $140.8 million contract he signed when he had joined the team. The Thunder then agreed to a buyout — resulting in $53.7 million in dead cap hit through 2022-23.
The Knicks gave Walker a chance but it simply hasn’t worked out. He has proven to not be a fit for coach Tom Thibodeau’s rigid hard-nosed defensive style while also worsening the flow of the half-court offense since he’s a shoot-first player who isn’t hitting shots at a high clip.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Knicks Expected To Trade Kemba Walker Ahead Of Deadline
Walker is averaging by far career-low production with the Knicks this season. He’s putting up averages of 11.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 24.5 minutes per game. One factor that does help is he’s shooting 41.3% from beyond the arc.
There is still value in Walker’s shot creation ability out of ball screens and handoffs along with his catch-and-shoot impact as a floor spacer. Whether it’s as a sixth man or not, there will be teams interested. Now, the Knicks must find a replacement option. Could Goran Dragic, who also was removed from his team’s rotation, be of interest?
Let’s take a look at an NBA trade scenario that lands Goran Dragic from the Toronto Raptors to the New York Knicks.