Slow and steady return for Kemba
C’s guard won’t ‘rush back’ from sore left knee, injection
Kemba Walker doesn’t waste a second when he says this rest has been a long time coming, even if it means missing a glitzy Dec. 23 season-opener against Milwaukee, and Christmas matchup for the ages against Kyrie Irving and Brooklyn.
The Celtics guard has been placed on a 12-week strengthening program for his sore left knee following a stem cell injection, and isn’t due back until some time in January. When Walker thinks back to a stretch that had him hopping from the World Cup and straight into the 2019-20 season with his new team, including the delayed COVID playoffs, he understands why this rehab break is so necessary.
“We just decided not to rush back and to take my time and just get healthy,” Walker said during a Zoom media conference. “I’ve had a very long run; haven’t had much of a break since I signed here. So I think it’ll be nice for me, to tell you the truth.
“That’s the plan. There’s no rush. There’s no rush on my end,” he said. “I’m coming back when I need to come back, and when I’m feeling good to play. So that’s it.
“I haven’t really been a guy who has been hurt over the course of my career. So, this sucks, but I also love the game of basketball, and I want to play at a high level in front of the fans who come to watch this game. So I want to be at my best. The last time in the playoffs, I wasn’t at my best, and that sucked. I don’t want to be that way no more.”
On Tuesday, Danny Ainge admitted that Walker’s return from rehab during the playoffs was premature and a likely mistake.
Walker shrugs off suggestion now.
“It was tough, man, you know? It was tough. But, you know, everybody is banged up,” he said. “I try not to make any excuses, to be real with you. I played through it, I was able to get through it, I had a great time with my teammates. Unfortunately it didn’t end like we wanted it to. But we battled. I thought I battled as best as I can, to tell you the truth. But it was tough. But now, I’m looking to just get better and contribute to this team like I know I can.”
The actual reason for the injection — Walker said he instantly felt better — is beyond what he cares to know. He’s relieved that surgery wasn’t deemed necessary.
“I can’t lie, I don’t know. You got to ask the doctors,” he said of the specifics behind his treatment. “It’s supposed to help me, I know that. It’s supposed to help me. A lot of good stuff for the knee. I just went into it. I trust the doctors. I trust the people that’s helping me. It was the best way to go. It’s definitely calmed my knee down a lot, to tell you the truth. I’m feeling really good right now. Just like I said, just taking my time and trying to continue to feel good and get stronger.
“I think it’s really just more, I just need to strengthen it. I needed to get the injection. Like I said, I’ve been playing for so long without getting a break, man. We felt that was the best decision, to get that injection and me take some time off.” that
Happy for Hayward
Though Charlotte ultimately paid Gordon Hayward the kind of money (four years, $120 million) it was unwilling to pay Walker a year earlier, this Celtics guard said the circumstance doesn’t bother him.
“Nahhhhhhhhhhh. I could care less. I’m in the place I’m supposed to be,” said Walker. “This is all God’s work, man. I can’t control none of that stuff. I can only control what I can. And Gordon, that’s my brother. My brother, man. I spoke to him during the process and I’m happy for him. I’m happy. Whatever makes somebody happy in this league, that’s what it’s about. It’s not about any, any, anybody else. I made my choice to come here to Boston because this is where I wanted to be because it makes me happy.
“And G, he’s happy. I’m sure he’s happy,” he said. “He’s going to have a great time in Charlotte. It’s a great place to be, it’s a great city, great fans, they love basketball. They’re going to love Gordon. He’s a great player. He’s going to bring joy to that organization.”
Missing Wanamaker
Though Walker was highly complimentary of the talent his new backup, Jeff Teague, will bring, he’s admittedly going to miss Brad-Wanamaker, who signed as a free agent with Golden State.
“Unfortunately, we lost our brother, obviously, Brad, who we loved, who I loved, personally,” said Walker. “Loved playing with him, loved having him as a teammate. We had a lot of late-night convos and just a great overall year being around Brad, man, that’s my guy.
“To have Jeff, after losing Brad, to bring in Jeff is huge. He’s a guy who’s been around. He knows what it takes to win games in this league. Me and him, personally, have had a lot of battles over the years, especially when I first started to thrive in the league, he was really at his best. I’m excited to be his teammate, still learn from him as well, because he is a little bit older than me and he’s been around longer than me. I’m excited.”