Stein: Kemba Walker Focused on NBA Contract amid Rumors of Move to EuroLeague
January 16, 2023
Kemba Walker reportedly isn't ready to give up on his NBA career.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported Walker remains focused on landing another contract stateside despite it being "erroneously reported" he was headed to Olimpia Milano of EuroLeague.
Walker last played for the Dallas Mavericks before being released on Jan. 6, ahead of the guarantee date for his contract. He averaged 8.0 points and 2.1 assists in nine games with Dallas.
A four-time All-Star, Walker's career has been derailed due to knee injuries that sapped his first-step quickness. He failed to impress last season in a 37-game stint with the New York Knicks and didn't latch on with any team until late November when the Mavs picked him up.
While there is still clearly some offensive production left in Walker's tank, he's been a defensive liability when on the floor and not efficient enough as a scorer to justify keeping around.
It's possible Walker's best avenue for a full-scale return to the NBA would be a stint in the G League, where he's still more than skilled enough to put up dominant numbers at age 32. With that said, NBA teams' general lack of urgency to bring him in speaks to how the league views him at this point.