There is still a long time before the March 25 negotiation deadline, but Celtics President Danny Ainge is reportedly not afraid to check his options.
Making an appearance on The Colin Cowherd Podcast, NBA analyst Ric Bucher said Ainge tried to move Celtics guard Kemba Walker earlier this year, which is recovering from an off-season injection.
“Many GMs are angry with Danny because Danny tried like hell to move Kemba earlier in the year, knowing his knee was not right,” said Bucher. “He was trying to get rid of damaged goods. This is the problem that Kemba is dealing with, and with his size, he is a bit like Isaiah Thomas. “
Walker has been playing for a difficult season since returning to the court on January 17. He showed flashes of his old All-Star, as in a 28-point game against the Hawks.
But for the most part, efficiency and scoring are low. Walker has averaged 17 points and 4.1 assists per game this season, with 37.1% of shots and 34.3% on 3 points.
Walker said he is getting healthier every day. Bucher compared the situation and size of Walker to Thomas, whose hip injury took him from being an MVP candidate and is now trying to get back to the NBA. Ainge finally dispatched Thomas to Cleveland in exchange for Kyrie Irving, although Irving left for the Nets via a free agency.
Walker is currently in the second year of a $ 141 million 4-year contract that he signed during the 2019 off-season.
“In the regular season, you can get away with it and disguise,” said Bucher. “But when you play against the best teams, they will exploit the fact that he is small and cannot move in the same way as before.”
Bucher and Cowherd discussed the Celtics for a few minutes on the podcast, adding that they liked guys like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Daniel Theis and other players. They noticed, however, that the team was still at least a bit away from playing in the championship.
“I don’t know if there is anything specific besides being good,” said Bucher. “They are not great. There is nothing they are great at. … They will be competitive. They will be a playoff team. But they are not a team that fights for the championship. “