Tag: Kemba Walker

Grant Williams opens up on his time in the Orlando bubble with Kemba Walker

Walker proved to be an exceptional teammate during the Celtics’ bubble run.

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Now a member of the Dallas Mavericks organization after being signed and traded there by the Boston Celtics as a restricted free agent this offseason, forward Grant Williams linked up with fellow NBA player Theo Pinson to talk about his time bunking with former Boston floor general Kemba Walker during the pandemic shutdown and playing with Boston in the Orlando bubble.

Walker proved an exceptional teammate during the Celtics’ bubble run, offering support and hospitality to his fellow players, particularly Williams, a native of Walker’s adopted home of Charlotte, North Carolina. The bubble experience lasted around three months, bringing the team closer together.

The Celtics faced challenges entering the bubble, having not played in months, but they remained focused on winning, and the camaraderie among players, including Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, intensified during the experience.

To hear more of Williams’ story on Pinson’s Tidal League “Run Your Race” podcast, check out the clip embedded above.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Former Celtic Kemba Walker on joining AS Monaco

“The club was very interested in me, and I just wanted to be part of a club that wanted me, that believed in me,” said Walker.

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Former Boston Celtics point guard Kemba Walker made a significant change to his stalled basketball career with a move to Europe. He joins AS Monaco after a 12-year career in the NBA.

In a recent interview with Eurohoops, the 33-year-old point guard expressed his excitement about joining a club that believes in him and why he sees the potential for him to help take it to the next level.

“The club was very interested in me, and I just wanted to be part of a club that wanted me, that believed in me,” said Walker. “I saw that the directors felt I could help them reach another level.”

“That’s what convinced me and made me decide to join Monaco,” added the onetime UConn standout. “What’s more, it’s an extraordinary city where I want to spend some time and gain new life experiences.”

“So it’s going to be a really fun time, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity. I just want to keep playing basketball at a high level, and Monaco allows me to do that.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Former Celtic Kemba Walker signs with EuroLeague’s AS Monaco Basket

Kemba Walker is taking his talents to Monte-Carlo.

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Former Boston Celtics point guard Kemba Walker is taking his talents overseas, signing a one-year deal with AS Monaco Basket. The 33-year-old becomes one of the biggest American names in EuroLeague after 12 seasons in the NBA.

Walker joined the Celtics in the summer of 2019 as a free agent following an All-NBA campaign with the Charlotte Hornets, the club that drafted him with the No. 9 pick in 2011. Walker made a big impact with the Celts, though injuries plagued the guard. For example, he missed four of Boston’s five postseason games during his final season in green. Following a few underwhelming mercenary stints elsewhere in the NBA in recent years, Walker now has a chance to make an international splash.

AS Monaco has been around since 1928, but the club is on the rise. In ’21-22, the team made its debut in EuroLeague after years of competing at lower levels of the European professional basketball circuit. Walker gives AS Monaco a chance to improve even further. Best of luck, Kemba!

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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On this day: Vincent, Lewis drafted; Horford/Walker/Brown trade; Spector passes

On this day, the Boston Celtics took Sam Vincent and Ralph Lewis in the 1985 NBA draft, the team traded Kemba Walker for Al Horford and Moses Brown, and Al Spector passed.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the team took two players of note in the 1985 NBA draft that was held in the Felt Forum in New York. With their first selection (No. 20), the Celtics took 6-foot-2, 185-pound point guard Samuel Vincent out of Michigan State.

A native of Lansing Michigan, Vincent played two seasons for Boston (1985- 1987), winning a championship with the Celtics in 1986 as a reserve guard. The former Spartan averaged 3.4 points and 1.2 rebounds per game per 7.8 minutes of play per game over the two seasons he was with the team.

Vincent left Boston when he was dealt with Scott Wedman to the Seattle SuperSonics for draft considerations in 1987.

On this day: Jimmy Rodgers fired; Kemba Walker, Keyon Dooling born

On this day, former Boston Celtics head coach Jimmy Rodgers was fired, and Celtics guards Kemba Walker and Keyon Dooling were born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Head Coach Jimmy Rodgers was fired in that role after unexpectedly dropping a first-round matchup with the New York Knicks in the 1990 NBA Playoffs. Rodgers had joined the Celtics as an assistant coach under Bill Fitch in 1979 and stayed on with the organization after Fitch was let go as head coach in 1983, working under Celtics legend KC Jones, then replacing Jones as head coach upon his resignation in 1988.

Rodgers was dealt a rough hand in his first season with star forward Larry Bird out injured for much of the season. While the first-round exit and poor records are perhaps not up to par for the Celtics teams of old, the franchise inherited by Rodgers was heavily mortgaged in favor of an aging core that probably should have been broken up years earlier.

Rodgers finished with a 94-70 regular-season record, and went 2 and 6 in the postseason, good for .573 and .250 winning percentages, respectively.

If Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both qualify for a supermax, will the Boston Celtics pay up?

Players — even Celtics alumni — have seen the supermax not be tendered; could Boston get cheap if both qualify?

Boston Celtics star wings Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum stand to make a LOT more money if they make an All-NBA team this season. Both would become eligible to earn a supermax contract extension relative to their level of experience should they be so honored.

But they aren’t the first Celtic to be in such a position. Former Boston floor general Kemba Walker was in the same situation with the Charlotte Hornets after the 2018-19 season. The Hornets were unwilling to offer the onetime UConn star a deal for that much money, which opened the door to Walker being signed by Boston for $80 million less than he would have made with that supermax deal.

Could the Celtics be similarly reluctant to offer one of their star wings the supermax?

Almost certainly not. Brown and Tatum are among the top 20 or so players in the league. Both are under 27 years old, and both have been blessed with fairly durable bodies, unlike Walker.

The fact the NBA’s salary cap is set to jump considerably with the looming new media rights deal is another factor in favor of the team having two supermax deals on the roster at the same time.

That will make it critical for Boston to maximize the talent filling out the roster in future seasons, but there is virtually no chance the team will try to skimp on either Tatum or Brown’s next deal.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Seven Boston Celtics changing places in 2011 redraft

As has been the case in past iterations of the exercise, the authors have reassessed a number of alumni of the Boston Celtics. 

As has been their wont in recent weeks, the NBA analysts over at our sister site of Hoops Hype have been re-drafting each season of the recent history of the NBA to get each year’s big event “the way it should have been,” most recently putting their analytical expertise to work on doing the 2011 NBA draft over again with the benefit of hindsight.

A draft they have suggested has been underrated with as many as four future Hall of Famers within it, they do their best to right the wrongs of the general managers of that time. And as has been the case in past iterations of the exercise, the authors ( Frank Urbina and Raul Barrigon) have reassessed a number of alumni of the Boston Celtics.

Let’s see where Celtics alumni got taken in this redux.

Lakers may bring in guard Kemba Walker for a workout

The Lakers may be looking to the free-agent market for some ball-handling help amidst their recent injuries.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been hit relentlessly by the injury bug over the past couple of years. In particular, LeBron James and Anthony Davis have missed a significant amount of time due to multiple significant injuries.

Davis missed more than five weeks this season with a right foot stress injury. James is out due to a right foot tendon injury that will sideline him for at least three more weeks.

To make matters worse, point guard D’Angelo Russell has missed L.A.’s last four games with a sprained ankle.

All these ailments have left the team with a lack of ball handlers and shot creators. It has been held under 110 points twice in its last four games.

As a result, the Lakers reportedly may work out veteran guard Kemba Walker.

Via Lakers Daily:

“Sources tell Lakers Daily that the Lakers are considering bringing in Kemba Walker for a workout. The team is looking for another ball-handler with LeBron James expected to miss extended time due to a foot injury.”

In 12 NBA seasons, Walker has proven potent on offense. He has a career average of 19.3 points per game while shooting a respectable 36% from 3-point range.

However, his production has taken a nosedive over the last couple of seasons, partly due to injuries. He has appeared in 46 games since the beginning of the 2021-22 campaign, and he hasn’t played in a game in about two months.

Walker was waived by the Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 6.

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Celtics alum Kemba Walker reportedly headed to Italy’s Olimpia Milan

Multiple reports are relating that the former UConn standout will sign with Italian club Olimpia Milan after clearing his requisite medical examinations.

Could veteran Boston Celtics alum Kemba Walker be heading to Italy soon? Multiple reports are relating that the former UConn standout will sign with Italian club Olimpia Milan after clearing his requisite medical examinations.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Walker is on his way to Milan to get checked out, and that “if he passes his medical, he could be managed in playing time and become a key weapon for a struggling Olimpia (translated via Google Translate). The former Celtics point guard was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder where he was cut, after which he signed with the New York Knicks, only to fall out of their rotation.

Dealt to the Detroit Pistons, Walker was then again waived, signing a deal with the Dallas Mavericks until cut again on Jan. 6.

With no NBA suitors calling, it seems, Walker has elected to take his talents to Europe so he can continue his playing career a bit longer.

We wish him nothing but success with this new chapter of his basketball journey.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics alum Kemba Walker waived by Mavs, Jayson Tatum takes note; is a reunion brewing?

Do the St. Louis native’s social media musings hint at moves to come from Boston’s front office?

The Dallas Mavericks have officially waived former Boston Celtics veteran point guard Kemba Walker, prompting an interesting tweet from former teammate Jayson Tatum that is replete with the requisite googly eyes and shamrocks which are sure to stir up interest in the NBA media sphere.

Do the St. Louis native’s social media musings hint at moves to come from Boston’s front office? Coupled with the recent move to open up a roster spot by dealing Noah Vonleh to the San Antonio Spurs, it is not entirely implausible these events are tied together with Tatum tipping his hand at inside knowledge.

But the current structure of the Celtics’ roster has former first-round pick Payton Pritchard relegated to an as-needed role off the bench — and thus far this season interim head coach Joe Mazzulla has not needed much of Pritchard.

So while a Kemba-Celtics reunion might not make sense save for an additional coach off the bench (which is dubious given how much Walker loves to play), additional moves might make a crack-glass-in-case-of-emergency role more suited to the former UConn standout given he and Pritchard’s relative places in their career arcs.

For now, however, we wait to see how these issues unfold and are related — or are not.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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