Kemba: Dream scenario playing for Knicks ‘just wasn’t for me’
Kemba Walker’s confidence isn’t shaken. He still believes there is a place for him in the NBA, even as he waits for a call. A few weeks into the 2022-23 season, the 32-year-old remains without a new home after his season back with the Knicks was a bust last winter.
“I’m just sitting back being patient, just giving myself a chance to continue to get my knee right, get my legs stronger, get my body stronger,” The Bronx native said on “The Woj Pod” show. “I’m just going to wait it out, I’m going to be patient. I think my time will come. I really do. When it does come, I’m going to try my best to be as ready as possible.”
The four-time All-Star’s one season with the Knicks didn’t go anywhere close to as planned. Walker was benched in the 20th game of 2021-22 and finished the season averaging a career-low 11.6 points and 3.5 assists in 25.6 minutes across 37 games. He was traded on draft night to the Pistons to clear salary cap space and was later bought out by Detroit.
“At first, it was a storybook. It was,” Walker said of his time in New York. “It was something I was really looking forward to. Any kid would dream of playing for their home team, and I’ve dreamed about that for a very long time.
“When the opportunity came about, I was über-excited. But unfortunately, it just didn’t work out for me.
Individually, I didn’t really fit the system and what those guys were trying to do over there. It just wasn’t for me.”
With the $10 million the Knicks were able to clear in trading Walker, along with other cost-cutting moves, they were able to land coveted point guard Jalen Brunson. The 26year-old Brunson has gotten off to a fast start for the Knicks (5-6), averaging 19.2 points, 6.8 assists and 4.0 rebounds.
Walker has kept a close eye on his old team, the Celtics, who reached the NBA Finals last year. He played for Boston from 2019-21 and helped groom current stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. He’s proud of how they have developed, and takes pride in his role in their emergence.
“I always told them, ‘This organization ain’t going nowhere without you two. Literally,’ ” Walker said.
Meanwhile, Walker waits. His current predicament isn’t completely new to him, though. As a kid in New York City, he didn’t have a big name, and had to search for a quality AAU program. This is somewhat familiar.
“It’s kind of actually bringing me back to my roots and how much I have to grind to get what I want,” Walker said. “But it’s different, it’s a different situation for me, not being on an NBA team. I’m just trying my best to adjust to the situation and just continue to work.”