Boston Clears Kemba Walker To Return To Practice
Kemba Walker (knee) has been given the thumbs up to rejoin the team during practices as he attempts to ramp up his workload ahead of a return to game action. Walker has been bothered by a knee ailment, which has kept him out to begin the year. In his place, Marcus Smart and Jeff Teague have primarily held down the PG reins, although Payton Pritchard has joined the conversation as well. It doesn't sound as if a return for Walker is imminent, although the latest news is a sign of progress. Fantasy managers can stash the former All-Star on the IR if available, but he may be significantly away from becoming the 20-PPG contributor that he has been each of the past five years.
Source: Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics point guard Source: Boston Celtics
Kemba Walker Pops Up With 32 Points
Kemba Walker turned back the clock in Saturday's matchup against Cleveland and led all scorers with 32 points in a 100-99 overtime loss. He shot 12-for-25 from the field and had four makes from downtown with 13 attempts. Walker added five rebounds and seven assists to his line with one block and two turnovers in 42 minutes. The former All-Star showed that he can still ball out, but Luka Doncic (quadriceps) had the night off and Walker's role has been minuscule since he signed with the team on Nov. 28. With that said, it was a nice performance from him on Saturday and Doncic has started to get time off in back-to-back situations, so it might not be the last time we see him shine this season.
Source: ESPN
Dallas Mavericks point guard Source: ESPN
Kemba Walker Set To Play 15-20 Minutes In Debut
Kemba Walker will make his team debut on Saturday against Chicago, and he's expected to feature for 15-20 minutes. This will be his first taste of NBA action since February. Kemba finds himself in a good spot to make his Mavs debut, as Luka Doncic (quadriceps) sits out the game. He's been a fan favorite for many years, but Walker's career took a turn for the worst in 2021-22 and fantasy managers shouldn't expect too much from him. It's actually crazy to think that Walker posted a Christmas Day triple-double only a year ago and a big 44-point performance preceded it. It's going to be intriguing to see how effective his play is going to be for Dallas.
Source: Rob Schaefer
Dallas Mavericks point guard Source: Rob Schaefer
Kemba Walker Finalizing Buyout With Pistons
Kemba Walker's tenure with the Detroit Pistons won't be lasting long. The two parties are in the midst of finalizing a contract buyout for Walker. Once the buyout is complete and Walker clears waivers, he will become a free agent. The 32-year-old was traded to the New York Knicks last year and struggled over his 37 games with the team. He shot just 40.3% from the field while averaging 11.6 points and 3.5 assists per contest. The Knicks wound up trading Walker to the Detroit Pistons during this year's NBA draft in order to clear up cap space.
Source: ESPN
Veteran guard Source: ESPN
Kemba Walker Traded To Pistons
Kemba Walker to the Pistons on Thursday night as a part of a three-way trade with Charlotte. However, Walker isn't expected to remain in Detroit, with ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that both sides are already discussing a buyout. The 32-year-old has been a capable fantasy producer over the years. Yet, he's battled numerous injuries throughout his career and hasn't played an entire season since 2018-19. Nonetheless, Walker will likely see significant interest from clubs looking to add depth. Still, his days as a consistent fantasy option are probably over, although he should have some effective outings here and there in 2022-23.
Source: Ian Begley
The Knicks traded guard Source: Ian Begley
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