New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau announced Monday that he's removing Kemba Walker from the rotation entirely, according to The Athletic's Fred Katz.
Walker didn't play in the Knicks' big win over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday for rest purposes after scoring a team-high 17 points against the Phoenix Suns the night before. While Walker shot the ball well against the Suns, it was yet another poor night overall for the starting group as New York got blown out.
Alec Burks took Walker's place in the starting lineup against the Hawks, and he put up a team-high 23 points in that victory. Burks will start at point guard against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday and appears to be in line to remain as the starter, even when Derrick Rose comes back from injury.
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People had been calling for Thibodeau to change up the starting lineup for a while because of the starters' struggles, but it's a bit shocking to see Walker get pulled from the rotation entirely. He's still shooting over 41% from 3-point range this season, though he's clearly nowhere near the player he once was with the Charlotte Hornets. Knee injuries have taken a toll on the former All-Star, and now it's unclear what his NBA future is.
The Knicks signed Walker this past offseason after he was waived by the Oklahoma City Thunder following a trade from the Boston Celtics. New York was hoping Walker would regain some of his magic playing back at home, but it simply hasn't worked out.
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