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NBA Fans In Utter Disbelief After 11 Year Knicks Veteran Sidelined For The Remaining Season

Published 02/24/2022, 11:28 PM EST

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The New York Knicks saw a ray of hope last season as they experienced a playoff berth. While they came up short last season, the Knicks were not going to let go of the chance. They went all out this season and signed some experienced faces to strengthen their roster. However, their moves did not work out the way they expected. The New York team is currently 12th in the eastern conference, despite having some big names. Surprisingly, they took a big decision to sideline a big-time player.

Kemba Walker made his name with the Charlotte Bobcats as an elite scorer. The former Celtics point guard averaged almost 20 points last season. But in just a matter of one season, the 4-time NBA All-Star took a huge dip. While playing for the Knicks, he even lost his place in the starting role. There was a brief moment where Walker proved he was fit, but Thibodeau just didn’t see it.

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Now, he and the Knicks have come to an agreement to sideline him for the remaining part of the season.

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Knicks take a huge call

Walker was one of the players the Knicks made a run for during the off-season. Coming off averaging over 18 points for six straight years, he was all set to make his impact with the Knicks. However, it soon became clear that he wasn’t the right pick for Thibodeau’s system. Hence, he soon lost his place in the rotation. After making his way back for a few games, both parties came to a common agreement to sideline the 11 year veteran for the remainder of the season. This had fans very surprised.

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Kemba is an exceptional scorer as a smaller point guard in the league. He fit in really well with the Celtics and Charlotte, even reaching All-Star status in the process. However, the Knicks’ hard style of basketball just did not suit Walker. He couldn’t shine in New York as his minutes went down from 31 all the way to 25. Moreover, he saw a massive fall in his production putting up just 11 points which is a career-low.

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As a smaller guard, Walker thrives in a more free-flowing offense rather than defensive basketball. The Knicks are more focused on their relentless defense and since Walker is a smaller guard, he isn’t the best at keeping up that defensive pressure. Since he didn’t move during the trade deadline, the Knicks will have Walker sidelined for the second half of the season.

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For the Knicks, they have gone on to prefer Alec Burks who provides the necessary scoring while being good on the defensive end. They have reliable scorers such as Randle and RJ Barrett. Hence, the need for Walker’s offensive production has diminished with the Knicks. Where would you like to see Kemba play next season? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Anuj Talwalkar

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Anuj Talwalkar is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He is a student studying at NM College in Mumbai, aspiring to pursue sports management to follow his love for sports. Anuj started following the NBA last year, and he loves to combine his passion for writing with his understanding of basketball.
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