Report: Kemba Walker Will 'Likely Be Away' from Pistons; Trade, Release Possible

Kemba Walker will likely never see the court as a member of the Detroit Pistons.

The veteran point guard "will likely be away from the team" as training camp opens this week, per The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania. It's possible he will be traded or released.

The New York Knicks traded Walker to the Pistons on draft night as part of a three-team trade that also included the Charlotte Hornets, which sent the draft rights to Jalen Duren to Detroit.

The move helped the Knicks clear up cap space to sign former Dallas Mavericks point guard Jalen Brunson, who agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal with the franchise in July. Walker is set to earn $9.2 million in 2022-23.

Walker joined the Knicks on a two-year deal before the 2021-22 campaign after reaching a buyout with the Oklahoma City Thunder, which acquired him in a trade that sent Al Horford to the Boston Celtics.

The 32-year-old appeared in 37 games during the 2021-22 campaign, averaging 11.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists, before he and the Knicks agreed in February to have him be sidelined for the remainder of the season in pursuit of coming back fully healthy in 2022-23.

Walker has struggled with knee issues since his days with the Charlotte Hornets, though his knee ailment didn't begin to impact his production until his two-year stint with the Celtics from 2019-21.

In Detroit, Walker is buried on the depth chart behind Cade Cunningham, Killian Hayes, Alec Burks and Jaden Ivey. That said, it's no surprise the oft-injured point guard is not participating in training camp.

It's unclear if any teams will express interest in acquiring Walker this fall. His injury history and salary don't make him an ideal target. That said, it seems like a buyout may be more reasonable.