Stevens on Kemba Walker: ‘It’ll be some time before he’s going full speed’

The Celtics plan on taking it slow with the UConn product’s knee.

One of the Boston Celtics’ most important concerns moving forward will be taking care of veteran point guard Kemba Walker’s knee moving forward.

And in the midst of all the other things going on from free agency, the draft, and trades around the margins, attention to the UConn product’s sometimes-balky joint has faded into the background a bit for fans.

Not so for the team, and its coaching staff.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with CLNS’ Jeff Goodman and Boston Globe legend Bob Ryan on the “Ryan and Goodman” podcast, the Celtics head coach gave an update on what we can expect from Walker as the 2020-21 season draws close.

“He’s working exceptionally hard,” explained Stevens.

“The key to this whole thing with him is just to strengthen the knee. And continuing to take this opportunity when we’re not playing, when we’re not practicing, to really focus on that, very similar to what we did at the beginning of the bubble. I think that there will be a transition like that because of the shortened season.”

“It’ll be some time before he’s going full speed for us for sure,” he added.

As to whether the former Husky will be ready to suit up on Dec. 22, Stevens declined to commit to a date.

“We haven’t settled on any timelines,” answered the Celtics coach.

“This is more of a plan appropriately things so that he can play and play uninhibited as he moves forward a lot like the bubble again. The bubble was unique because you went basically four months off. There was a different challenge there, and that ramping up was a big threat to everybody. But certainly if he had a situation where he goes too fast too soon, that probably wouldn’t have been good. Here, you’re just too soon to [start] the season.”

“I anticipate it will be slow with him,” emphasized Stevens, “as the season starts, as practice starts.”

Given Boston is equipped to make it through the early part of the season with the youth movement of recently-drafted Payton Pritchard and two way point guard Tremont Waters, that approach makes worlds of sense going forward.

And with the addition of veteran floor general Jeff Teague to the backcourt rotation already well-covered by Marcus Smart, there should be no problem easing Walker back into top shape slowly.

No need to sound alarms just yet, but it’s prudent to take a cautious approach given the importance of the New Yorker for this team to contend at the league’s highest level.

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