The Boston Celtics signed Kemba Walker to a lucrative contract just last summer. Would they really be willing to move him just over a year later?
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated thinks the trade chatter surrounding Walker is all smoke. Mannix said the Celtics remain high on Walker during an appearance on the “Dale & Keefe” show on WEEI:
“They're very high on Kemba Walker in Boston,” Mannix said, via the Dale & Keefe Twitter. “I don't get the sense that Kemba was ever in any serious threat of being traded.”
Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer reported the Chicago Bulls had asked about Walker as a potential trade piece, just days after he reported the Bulls were pursuing a veteran point guard.
However, Mannix indicated Walker was never in any real danger of being traded.
The 30-year-old had a strong first season in Boston. Walker averaged 20.4 points, 4.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds while shooting just over 38 percent from beyond the arc. Walker's strong season led to him being named an All-Star starter, the fourth All-Star nod of his career.
More importantly, Kemba was willing to accept more of an off-ball role, allowing youngsters like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to flourish with more usage.
Still, there were issues. Walker dealt with recurring knee soreness throughout the year, and the knee plagued him again during the NBA restart in Orlando. Perhaps concerns over Walker's knee might have driven trade talks.
But Walker is still in the prime of his basketball career, and has been an ideal fit in Boston thus far. Plus, with Gordon Hayward opting out and choosing free agency, the Celtics cannot afford to lose too many assets.
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