Kemba gave the Knicks a thought, but C’s were better fit
Kemba Walker said he considered returning home with the Knicks in free agency before signing with Boston.
“It was [a consideration]. It was. They were definitely one of the teams I was looking at in free agency,” Walker said before the Celtics faced the Knicks at the Garden on
Saturday. “But I picked Boston. I just felt it was a better fit for me.”
Walker, a Bronx product and three-time All-Star, inked a four-year, $141 million deal with the Celtics. The Knicks had cap space for two max free agents but missed their targets and settled on Julius Randle and short-term deals.
Prior to the season, team president Steve Mills said the Knicks declined to
meet with “a lot of maxtype players” because they wanted to maintain flexibility. It’s unclear who Mills was talking about. Asked if the Knicks expressed interest, Walker referenced the tampering rules by answering, “I guess they did. Obviously, the players and teams can’t communicate.”
Walker, who had about a dozen friends and family in attendance at the Garden on Saturday, said the negative aspects of playing close to home weren’t at issue.
“I think it can be a distraction just because you obviously grew up there, you know so many people. But that wasn’t the case for me. It wasn’t even about that,” he said. “It was just more about the fit and style of play and things of that nature and I just thought that Boston was the best fit and opportunity for me.”
But the Bronx still has the best slices.
“I probably miss the pizza the most,” he said.
Walker struggled in his opener with the Celtics last Wednesday in a loss to the Sixers, but had 22 points in a 112-106 win over Raptors on Friday night.
At point guard he’s replacing Kyrie Irving, who left Boston to sign with the Nets in the summer. Celtics coach Brad Stevens said the bigger adjustment was losing center Al Horford, who signed with the Sixers.
“Kemba and Kyrie are both outstanding players. They’re somewhat different but they both bring that dynamic point guard to the table that can just go get a bucket that makes you shake your head,” Stevens said. “But Al’s skill level at the 5 has made us change some things we how we play.”