Kemba Walker must stay in the NY Knicks’ rotation
Listen, I was with everyone else when we were all calling for Kemba’s head before he got benched.
I added fuel to the fire by releasing an article depicting 3 potential trades the Knicks could explore for Walker as well.
I’m no saint, I’m not a perfect person. But neither are all of you.
The angry mob was out with their pitchforks calling for Kemba’s head prior to the benching, and for good reason.
A statistical summary of why the Knicks are pulling Kemba Walker from the rotation:
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) November 29, 2021
Knicks have the best defense in the league when he’s on the bench (99.0 DRtg) & are dead last (116.3 DRtg) when he’s on the floor.
They are 27th in offense with him playing, 9th with him off.
Kemba was a net negative through and through and the way he had been playing on both ends of the floor prior to the benching was abysmal.
Women lie, men lie, numbers don’t.
But boy, has the Bronx-native figured out a way to turn things around…
NBA Players of the Week for Week 10.
— NBA (@NBA) December 27, 2021
West: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander(@okcthunder)
East: Kemba Walker (@nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/XWwuyup0ti
Due to injuries and half the roster being decimated by health and safety protocols, Coach Thibs had no other choice but to turn to Kemba, and he delivered.
Walker averaged 25 points, 8.3 assists, and 9 rebounds in the last 4 games and was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week.
What’s even better than that is he and Julius Randle looked like they could actually co-exist on the floor and are seemingly growing a bit of chemistry together.
Frankly, it’s a blessing in disguise that the team was ravaged by Covid and injuries because for all we know, Kemba could have been being shopped around and moved at some point in the near future, and then he’d go to some competing team that actually knows how to utilize what Kemba can do on the floor.
It would be the most Knickish-move imaginable to trade him for a bag of peanuts only to watch him light it up elsewhere and lead a team deep into the playoffs.
I believe apologies are in order from Coach Thibs and Julius Randle alike.
I think the 3 of them should sit down with Derrick Rose as well over FaceTime and have a man-to-man chat together as the leaders of the Knicks and figure this crap out.
Kemba needs to stay. He needs to start. He needs to lead the Knicks if they’re going to turn around this season and make a statement in the playoffs.