The deadline for NBA teams to set their final rosters is Monday. On Friday, it's been reported by The Athletic's Shams Charania that the Detroit Pistons are likely to waive Kemba Walker before the deadline. Following that transaction, that will leave the Pistons at the 15 guaranteed roster spots.
The Detroit Pistons are likely to waive four-time All-Star Kemba Walker before Monday’s deadline to set regular season roster, sources tell me and @JLEdwardsIII. The move will bring Detroit's roster to 15 guaranteed spots.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 14, 2022
The Pistons signed Walker this offseason with the hope that he could regain his prior form. That apparently has not come to fruition.
Kemba Walker was drafted 9th overall back in 2011. He spent the first eight years as a member of the Charlotte Hornets. Well, technically the first three years they were the Bobcats, but I digress. He made the All-Star team on four occasions and was one of the better pure scorers in the league.
In 2019, Walker joined the Boston Celtics and was looked at like a great fit for the young, talented group. Despite remaining a productive scorer (averaging over 20 points per game), injuries became a problem. Walker has since spent an extraordinary amount of time injured. Walker has missed 100 games exactly over the last three seasons.
He only appeared in 37 games for the New York Knicks last season. Despite that, the Pistons were hoping to catch lightning in a bottle. That sentiment appears to have ended.
The Pistons are in the middle of a full rebuild. They hit a home run in the draft last year landing Cade Cunningham. Big man Isaiah Stewart has shown some promise. They took Jaden Ivey 5th overall in this year's draft. Walker simply does not fit into those plans. It certainly doesn't help that he is already injured.
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