Celtics News: Kemba Walker Injury Latest, Brad Stevens on NBA Restart, More

The Boston Celtics sport one of the most interesting dynamics of any NBA team heading into the league restart in Orlando, Florida.

While the Celtics want to do whatever it takes to help Kemba Walker and Co. win a title, the focus also has to be on the long-term outlook thanks to guys like Jayson Tatum.

With the new transaction window closed and teams getting ready to travel to Disney World, the news shifts toward both of these fronts for the Celtics. Here's a look at the latest.

Kemba Walker

Mary Schwalm/Associated Press

Few players are more important to an Eastern Conference team's title hopes than Walker.

Walker had a rough spring for the Celtics, missing games here and there before play halted. But he's confident the break did more good than harm when it comes to his knee struggles.

The star point guard spoke with reporters about the issue ahead of the restart:

"[The break was] super important for me. I really, really needed to get that break. It definitely helped me get back to myself and start to feel comfortable on my knee. It was a very unfortunate time, but it was in my best interests for sure. So I'm pretty comfortable with the way the schedule is, and I'm just going to keep on taking care of myself. That's really all I can do, so I'm just going to stay on top of things and take it day by day."

Walker played a big role in Boston's 43-win record before the league hit the pause button, appearing in 50 games and averaging 21.2 points and 4.9 assists while shooting 42.1 percent from the floor and 37.7 percent from deep over 31.8 minutes.

But Walker averaged just 14.8 points on 30.5 percent shooting in March while missing time here and there, which started to dampen the team's outlook.

On paper, Tatum's continued dominant play masked some of Walker's issues, but onlookers know that won't be a luxury the team can get away with in the postseason. If he's back to gunning at 100 percent, the conference's third seed might be poised for a massive run.

Brad Stevens on NBA Restart

Winslow Townson/Associated Press

Don't tell Celtics coach Brad Stevens the winner of the NBA title this year should have an asterisk attached to it.

Stevens fought back against the growing notion as the Celtics got back to mandatory workouts.

"This is going to be a super-unique situation, and whoever wins it is going to really earn it," Stevens said, according to The Athletic's Jared Weiss. "Because I think there's certainly a basketball side of this, but it's also you've got to find joy. We want to have an impact off and on the court."

The notion the champion needs an asterisk has gained steam in large part because some noteworthy players, such as Avery Bradley of the Los Angeles Lakers, have opted out of playing in the restart.

Stevens would argue the opposite, citing the adversity faced not only on the court but also in sprinting through eight regular-season games, potential play-in tournaments and the playoffs themselves—all while in a bubble.

If nothing else, Stevens isn't a stranger to adversity as Celtics coach. But he's afforded the luxury of bringing one of the NBA's most talented teams to Orlando, and key players like Walker continue to get healthy at the right time.

Jayson Tatum's Contract

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For now, Tatum's contract situation rests firmly on the back-burner.

But only briefly.

Tatum erupted this season, posting averages of 23.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals over 59 games, even keeping his shooting percentages from the floor (44.8) and deep (39.8) in line with his usual numbers despite an uptick in minutes.

But the great situation for the Celtics won't last as long as the organization might like if the needle doesn't move on his contract—he's eligible for an extension after the season.

NBC Boston's A. Sherrod Blakely recently appeared on the Celtics Talk podcast and broke down the current outlook:

"Tatum's got to make some decisions. 'Do I sign [a] four- or five-year extension? Or do I play it out and just become a restricted free agent and hope that the cap goes up afterwards so then I can sign a max deal for more money?'"

The 22-year-old has the option of inking a max deal or playing out his contract and becoming a restricted free agent in 2021. What he chooses to do could hinge on cap fluctuations and where the most money resides.

It's not an uncommon situation for a player in Tatum's situation, just as the nature of this restart presents an injury risk for players hoping to ink max deals soon.

Call it a risk-reward situation that plays right into what Stevens said about not assigning an asterisk to the teams about to compete for a title.