It took some time, but Kemba Walker has found his next NBA home in Dallas.
As first reported on Monday by NBA insider Marc Stein, the Mavericks will add Walker, who has been in search of his next destination since he was traded from New York to Detroit on draft night. The Pistons never intended on Walker reporting and he was eventually waived ahead of the season, freeing him to sign with another team.
The news comes a quarter of the way through the 2022-23 season, a year in which Dallas has stumbled out of the gates despite the spectacular play of MVP candidate Luka Doncic. Outside of Doncic, the Mavericks have a largely flawed roster, resulting in a disappointing start after advancing to the Western Conference Finals in 2022.
Walker has earned four All-Star selections in his career, but he’s now 32 and has had his fair share of durability issues in recent years. While Walker alone won’t be expected to turn things around in Dallas, how much does he have in the tank to give the Mavs?
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The current state of Kemba Walker’s game
For various reasons, Walker was limited during the 2021-22 season, but his time on the floor did come with a few highlights.
Over 37 games with the Knicks last season, Walker averaged 11.6 points, 3.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 40.3 percent from the field and 36.7 percent from 3-point range on 5.4 attempts per game. Among Walker’s highlights was a 44-point performance against the Wizards followed by a triple-double in the Knicks’ Christmas Day win over the Hawks.
A season-high 44 PTS and an #NBAXmas triple-double!
Kemba Walker put up 25.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG and 8.3 APG for the @nyknicks to earn the Eastern Conference Player of the Week honor for Week 10! pic.twitter.com/IvxCaPc5Ul
— NBA (@NBA) December 27, 2021
While the highs were high, they were few and far in between and the lows were much lower.
After starting in each of his first 18 appearances with New York, Walker was removed from the rotation completely in late November. His opportunities in December only came after the Knicks dealt with various availability issues stemming from injuries and COVID-19.
Credit is due to Walker for staying ready through the ups and downs, but his return to action was short-lived as knee issues limited him in early January. In February, Walker and the Knicks mutually agreed to shut it down for the season.
Walker last played in an NBA game on Feb. 16.
While it’s been nearly 10 months since Walker’s last appearance, the agreement was made with longevity in mind. Knee issues held Walker out of 16 games during the 2019-20 season, 29 games during the 2020-21 campaign, and limited him to three of five playoff games in 2021.
Whether or not Walker can contribute in Dallas largely depends on the health of his troublesome knee.
Where Kemba Walker could help the Mavericks
It’s no secret that the Mavericks have been trying to fill a Jalen Brunson-sized void this season. Brunson, who left the Mavs to join the Knicks via free agency in July, started in 61 of 79 games for Dallas last season, serving as a secondary creator alongside Doncic with averages of 16.3 points and 4.8 assists on efficient shooting splits.
At this stage in his career, Walker, who has career averages of 19.5 points and 5.3 assists, is no longer capable of filling that void on his own, but he can help Dallas make up for that lost production by committee.
In addition to Spencer Dinwiddie, who was inserted into the Mavs’ starting unit this season, Walker will be looked upon to create for himself and others to make life easier for Doncic. As Dinwiddie will remain in the starting lineup, Walker’s main role as a creator will come alongside members of a second unit that is headlined by Christian Wood, Tim Hardaway Jr., Maxi Kleber, JaVale McGee and Josh Green.
When Walker shares the court with Doncic, he can play both on and off the ball.
With the ball in his hands, Walker’s ballhandling and playmaking abilities can provide some relief for Doncic, whose usage rate is at a sky-high 36.9 percent at this juncture of the season.
Off the ball, Walker remains a solid catch-and-shoot threat. Just last season, Walker shot 27 of 66 (40.9 percent) on catch-and-shoot 3s with the Knicks, something that should translate well to Dallas, where nearly half of Doncic’s assists lead to 3s.
Walker is a cerebral player that shouldn’t have much of an issue adjusting to a new system in Dallas under Jason Kidd. The ways in which Walker could help Dallas are clear, but it all hinges on his health and, ultimately, what the 32-year-old has left to give.
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