Tag: Kemba Walker

Celtics team president Brad Stevens speaks with media about Walker trade, offseason plans

The new head honcho of the Celtics gave his first solo official presser in that role on Boston’s offseason plans and the Walker trade.

New Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens gave his first solo press conference in that role on Monday to speak to the media about his first big trade as team president, sending veteran point guard Kemba Walker to the Oklahoma City Thunder for former Celtic Al Horford and big man Moses Brown.

Stevens also spoke on the offseason and the team’s general plans for team building for the 2021-22 campaign, though he did not go into specifics given the ongoing nature of such activities. He also made it clear that while there would be a time for such conversations later, for now, he was not taking questions regarding the team’s head coaching search.

“In fairness to the people,” explained Stevens, “that are under consideration, I want to make sure we’re doing this the right way.”

Bleacher Report dubs the Thunder a winner in the Walker-Horford deal

Bleacher Report wrote about the winners and losers of the Thunder-Celtics trade involving Kemba Walker, Al Horford, Moses Brown and picks.

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Bleacher Report likes what it sees from the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Kemba Walker/Al Horford trade.

The Thunder gained the No. 16 pick in the draft and a future second-rounder to take on Walker, who has dealt with knee issues the last two seasons but is a four-time All-Star.

In return, Oklahoma City sent the Boston Celtics centers Al Horford and Moses Brown along with a future second-round draft pick.

When reviewing the winners and losers of the trade, Bleacher Report indicated that OKC is a winner.

Analyst Andy Bailey wrote:

“Sam Presti is at the controls for one of the most impressive rebuilds the league has seen in recent years.”

Bleacher Report acknowledged that losing Brown is a blow, but the No. 16 pick in the 2021 draft shows promise whether the Thunder keep it or trade it.

“It may have been preferable to keep Brown, who was a rebounding machine in his second season, but the player picked 16th in 2021 could become more valuable.

That pick may also be more tradable in another deal before the draft. If the Thunder want to move up, a team ahead of them may be more interested in the theoretical value of No. 16 than in Brown.”

Surprisingly enough, this is a trade in which both teams come out as winners, Bailey said.

In his logic, Walker was undersized, oft-injured and on a big contract. Getting a big who has a lower usage rate and gaining financial flexibility are ideal.

“Moses Brown’s three-year, $5.5 million deal (with a team option for the last season) is also more cost-efficient than the rookie-scale salary for a No. 16 pick.

On almost all fronts, this is a win for Boston.”

Horford was also listed as a winner, given that he is now going to serve a good role on a competitive team.

Walker was listed as a loser, though Bailey acknowledged that if the guard plays well and is healthy, he would turn into a winner.

But what if he can’t prove he’s a good and healthy player?

“If that happens, Walker will be toiling away on a rebuilding team for likely the last couple of years of his prime.

A lot of prognostication is involved here, and Walker could bust all these talking points, but he may be this deal’s lone ‘loser.'”

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Should the Lakers trade for Thunder’s Kemba Walker?

Kemba Walker could be available in a trade. Let’s look at how it could play out for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kemba Walker became the newest member of the Oklahoma City Thunder after the Boston Celtics traded him for Al Horford and Moses Brown.

The Celtics also sent its 2021 first-round pick and a 2025 second-round pick to the Thunder. Oklahoma City shipped a 2023 second-round pick to Boston.

For the Celtics, the 2020-21 season ended in disappointment. It finished the season as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference as injuries and setbacks became prevalent.

Acquiring Horford supplies the roster with a floor-spacing center that can anchor the paint on defense. Brown is a young center that hasn’t looked great defensively, but there’s optimism he can transform his tools and become a solid player.

But for the Thunder, acquiring Walker doesn’t make much sense for its roster construction. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the starter, and Theo Maledon could develop into a promising backup if his shot cleans up.

The first-round pick Oklahoma City received is the biggest prize. The Thunder have hoarded just about every draft pick possible, and keeping Walker — who is a win-now player — takes away developmental reps for the youngsters.

If Oklahoma City calls teams for a Walker trade, one team has already been suggested, according to Marc Spears of ESPN:

If the Lakers trade for Walker, the first question both teams must answer is do the contracts work out?

Walker is owed $36 million next season and over $37 million in 2022-23 before he becomes a free agent.

The only players the Lakers can include in a deal are Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kyle Kuzma. Montrezl Harrell has a pending player option that would work if he exercises it, and Dennis Schroder is entering free agency. Schroder would have to agree to a sign-and-trade deal to return to his former team.

Assuming the Thunder accept any combination of those players — and OKC can always trade them again as it has done several times recently — including a draft pick would be likely.

The Lakers have the 22nd overall pick in this year’s draft, which OKC could seek in a possible trade.

Salary-wise, the contracts match. But is Walker the type of player the Lakers need right now while the LeBron James-Anthony Davis championship window is open?

The Lakers desperately needed a reliable third option behind James and Davis, and Walker could slot into that role.

Walker had a usage rate of 27.6 percent, good for the 70th percentile in his position, per Cleaning the Glass. That rate trailed only Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in Boston this season.

Walker would have a similar role in L.A. He could initiate plays as the primary ball-handler — he took 15.7 shots per game this season, which would trail James and Davis if he played for L.A. — and be a spot-up player, too.

Per NBA’s stats, Walker averaged 3.1 possessions as a spot-up shooter. He ranked in the 88th percentile with an eFG percentage of  66.5. Among players who averaged at least three spot-up possessions, Walker placed 10th in the league.

The 31-year-old guard could make Los Angeles’ offense more dynamic as a multi-level scorer — though his 35.1 percent clip on mid-range jumpers leaves much to be desired — which L.A. could benefit from.

Last season, L.A. just didn’t have enough players not named James or Davis who could create offense. Schroder had his moments during the regular season, but his shooting efficiency declined and how he folded in the playoffs left a sour taste.

But another major concern besides Walker’s loaded contract is his health. From 2015 to 2019, Walker played in 322 out of 328 games. Since joining Boston, he’s played in 99 out of 154 games.

Walker’s age is trending in the wrong side of 30, and if he can’t remain healthy — which has been a major problem for L.A. — then a possible trade would damage Los Angeles’ title chances and financial books while the window is still open.

Though Walker to L.A. is speculation at this stage, Kyle Lowry is reportedly another target on the radar. But if the Lakers pull the trigger on Walker, it could either work out tremendously or ruin the hopes of winning a title soon.

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WATCH: The best of Kemba Walker’s 2020-21 season with the Celtics

Check out the top highlights from Kemba Walker during the 2020-21 season with the Boston Celtics.

It’s been quite the interesting start to the offseason for the Boston Celtics. First, Danny Ainge stepped down as President of Basketball Operations followed by Brad Stevens taking his place, leaving a vacancy on the bench.

And now, the Celtics will be looking for a new point guard as Kemba Walker was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, returning Al Horford to the Celtics alongside Moses Brown.

Kemba’s two-year stint in Boston ends as a disappointment for both sides. Walker left Charlotte for Boston to do one thing: win. And though the Celtics reached the playoffs both year’s, a trip to the NBA Finals fell short.

Injuries truly derailed Walker’s time in a Celtics uniform, missing a total of 47 games, including the last two games of this year’s first round series against the Brooklyn Nets.

In 43 games this season, Walker averaged 19.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.9 assists on 42.0% shooting, his lowest points per game and shooting percentage since 2014-15.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6abeGbEu5E

Check out the video above of Walker’s best highlights of his 2020-21 season with the Celtics.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Celtics players react to Kemba Walker’s trade to Oklahoma City Thunder

The UConn product is loved by his teammates.

Several Boston Celtics took to social media to say their goodbyes to teammate and friend Kemba Walker after the team’s starting floor general was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Al Horford and Moses Brown on Friday morning.

While the UConn product had had his struggles over the prior two seasons with an often-balky knee, he was still close to and beloved by his fellow Celtics players, a common trait of the popular point guard at every stop of his basketball career. Expressing their support and love for their now ex-teammate, a number of Boston’s remaining players voiced their thoughts about Walker’s sudden departure.

Let’s take a look at what they had to say (h/t Reddit user test99999999999):

5 routes the Thunder can go with Kemba Walker

Kemba Walker has been traded to the Thunder. What are OKC’s next steps with the All-Star point guard?

The Oklahoma City Thunder have acquired another former All-Star in hopes of revitalizing his trade value and gaining more assets in the near future.

OKC received Kemba Walker, a first-round pick and a second-round pick from the Boston Celtics in exchange Al Horford — who was a successful renovation project — Moses Brown and a second-round pick.

But Walker’s situation in Oklahoma City is different than that of Horford or Chris Paul. Both Paul and Horford filled positions of need for the Thunder; Walker would cut into minutes of young guards who the team already likes and potentially the Thunder’s 2021 draft pick(s).

How will the Thunder go about figuring out his spot in the rotation? There are a few different routes they could take, and the Oklahoma City front office has given examples with several veterans over the last two years.

MORE: Picks involved in trade

Grades from ESPN, The Athletic

Kemba to Lakers speculation has already started

WATCH: The best of Evan Fournier’s 2020-21 season with the Celtics

Check out the top highlights from Evan Fournier during the 2020-21 season with the Boston Celtics.

Acquired at the trade deadline from the Orlando Magic, Evan Fournier was seen to be a potential finishing piece to a hopeful Celtics lengthy playoff run.

Well, that playoff run lasted just five games as the team dealt with injuries across the board from Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker, and Robert Williams.

For Fournier, his stint with the Celtics following the trade was cut short due to entering the COVID health and safety protocol, forcing him to miss nine games. In 16 regular season games with Boston, Fournier averaged 13.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists on an impressive 46.3% from 3-point range.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzgM0yt18bY

Fournier is scheduled to be a free agent this offseason but following the trade of Kemba Walker, the Celtics are reportedly more confident in resigning the Frenchman.

Check out the video above of Fournier’s best highlights of his 2020-21 season with the Celtics.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Celtics Lab 51: Hello again, goodbye; Boston deals Kemba Walker to OKC for old friend Al Horford

We hosted an emergency episode of the Celtics Lab to get you up to speed on the trade that sends Kemba Walker to the Thunder for Al Horford and Moses Brown.

Al Horford is a Boston Celtic again and Kemba Walker is now a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, while Moses Brown — the big from that team you probably hadn’t heard of before he hung 21 points and 23 rebounds on the Celtics — is also headed to Boston in a trade that took most by surprise in timing if not structure.

Boston’s first-round pick is headed to Sam Presti’s ever-growing war chest while both teams swap second-rounders, and there’s a host of things to discuss from cap implications to the fit of the players with plenty more in-between. To that end, we hosted an emergency Celtics Lab podcast with the editor of our sister site Thunder Wire, Logan Newman, along with our fellow USA TODAY family cap expert, Yossi Gozslan of HoopsHype.

We talk all things Horford reunion, try to divine what our favorite UConn product will be doing in his new home, what this means for team-building in the short term and run the gamut of imminent concerns for the Celtics and the Thunder after this deal set the stage for the Brad Stevens era as Boston’s team president.

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Listen to the podcast embedded above to get up to speed on the trade with your usual hosts Justin Quinn and Alex Goldberg — and don’t worry, Cameron Tabatabaie wasn’t included in the trade, he just had the night off.

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This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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ESPN, The Athletic give trade grades for Thunder-Celtics deal

The Boston Celtics and OKC Thunder trade centered around Al Horford and Kemba Walker was graded by ESPN and The Athletic.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Boston Celtics both achieved something they were looking for in the trade centered around Al Horford and Kemba Walker.

OKC got a first-round draft pick and the chance to gain even more assets if they can have another successful reclamation project.

Boston added a high-quality starting center and added frontcourt depth while increasing their financial flexibility.

ESPN’s Kevin Pelton and The Athletic’s Zach Harper both provided trade grades and instant reactions to the deal with varying degrees of enthusiasm for both sides.

READ MORE: Every future Thunder draft pick

TRADE TALK: Reactions from deal • New Kemba Walker trade rumors have begun •

The Kemba Walker to the Lakers trade ideas have already started

As is normally the case when an All-Star is involved, some have started proposing Kemba Walker deals to the Los Angeles Lakers.

As is typically the case when an All-Star hits the trade block, the Los Angeles Lakers have been mentioned by a major analyst discussing the latest NBA blockbuster.

The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears appeared on ESPN’s The Jump to talk about the Oklahoma City Thunder trade with the Boston Celtics. OKC received Kemba Walker and a first-round pick in exchange for Al Horford and Moses Brown. Second-round picks were also flipped in the deal.

Like many, Spears doesn’t see Walker’s fit in Oklahoma City. The Thunder have several guards to evaluate, the chance to land a potential star guard in the 2021 NBA draft, and no particular desire to compete. Walker affects each of those.

So where else to send him but to the Lakers?

“If I’m the Lakers, why not try to go after Kemba? Spears said. “To me it makes a lot of sense. Kuzma already looks like he’s on his way out.”

This takes a few assumptions:

One is that Oklahoma City wants Kyle Kuzma. He’s set to begin a three-year extension that pays $13 million. Maybe the Thunder do want him, maybe they don’t, but Kuzma will be 26 in July and Oklahoma City already has younger and cheaper players at his position. The fit might not be there.

MORE: Every future Thunder draft pick

Another is that the Lakers have and are willing to give up enough players to match Walkers’ contract. They have seven players under contract in 2021-22, according to Basketball Ref: Two are LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who are not getting moved. One is Montrezl Harrell, who has a player option and would probably prefer to test the free agency waters than to join the Thunder. Two are Marc Gasol and Alfonzo McKinnie, who are paid a combined $4.5 million.

That leaves Kyle Kuzma ($13 million) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($13 million). Those contracts plus that of Gasol and McKinnie still aren’t enough. Harrell would have to decline his option or be traded for the Lakers to have space.

Would the Thunder take those four players in hopes of flipping Kuzma and Caldwell-Pope for assets?

Would the Lakers be OK committing $112 million to James, Davis and Walker and then building the rest of the roster around them?

And if LA would do that, why did OKC have to act as the middleman? The Celtics could have pulled off a three-team trade.

Like the Kyle Lowry trade rumors during this past season, it’s a tough to imagine the Lakers being a real player in the Walker sweepstakes.

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