The Boston Celtics made the first big roster move of the offseason by deciding to trade four-time All-Star point guard Kemba Walker to the Oklahoma City Thunder. This came as a bit of a surprise for most considering how the 31-year-old had only been with the team for two seasons. As it turns out, Walker himself was caught off guard by the news.
Reports suggest that Walker did not take this development lightly. In his recent writeup for The Athletic, Jared Weiss reveals that the primary reason behind Walker's misery is his teammates:
According to sources Walker was ‘heartbroken’ over the trade, particularly because of his strong relationships with his teammates.
This is yet another stark reminder of how difficult it is for players to move around. We always say that the NBA is a business, but oftentimes we forget that the players are humans too. Being uprooted from a place that you've called home for more than two years is never easy for anyone. The fact that Walker was able to build strong relationships with his teammates — both on and off the court — only makes things more difficult.
In the end, though, you could say that this was something that had been forthcoming. Walker did not really have his best years in Boston and with the Celtics looking to revamp their squad after another disappointing season, he just felt like the perfect piece to let go. This doesn't make it any easier for him on a personal level, though.
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