Kemba Walker’s acquisition during the 2021 offseason showed a lot of promise for the New York Knicks as they bolstered their backcourt. Unfortunately, it has not all gone according to plan, and head coach Tom Thibodeau had to make some tough calls.
Due to his defensive struggles, Thibodeau has pulled Walker from the Knicks rotation altogether. There is also chatter that he might be used in a trade deal for Houston Rocket’s John Wall come February 10, which is the date for the 2021-22 NBA trade deadline.
When the Knicks visited Barclays Center last night, Kemba was not in the rotation, and Alec Burks took his place in the starting lineup. Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash was sympathetic with Walker as he understands how difficult it is for him.
According to ESPN, Nash had this to say:
“Kemba’s a great human being, great teammate. No matter how great a teammate and how great an attitude you have, to take that scenario into account, it’s very difficult for a guy who competes and wants to play and prepares the way he does to play.”
Walker’s replacement did a good job in his stead, registering 25 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and a block. Without Walker, the Knicks are a better team defensively, and Burks is proving that they can manage offensively without him.
Kemba is not the only superstar that has fallen out of favor with their head coach. Nash recently removed Blake Griffin from the Nets rotation, giving LeMarcus Aldridge the nod to start. Aldridge has taken the opportunity and has performed better than Griffin.
Via NetsDaily, here is what Nash said about his decision on Griffin:
“Well, I feel for him. That’s not easy. You know it’s tough when you go through a rough stretch of play and the world kind of caves in on you a little bit. I’ve been there and understand it. We have to give other guys an opportunity at this point, but Blake’s had a great attitude. I really admire him for being positive through this and keeping himself ready so if his opportunity comes back, he can have an impact.”
The Nets currently need more firepower offensively, especially with Joe Harris out, which is why Nash’s decision is understandable. But it is unclear how long Griffin will have to watch from the bench, and if it could lead to him being traded in February.
