Kemba Walker Considered Knicks In Free Agency

Before tonight’s game at Madison Square Garden, Kemba Walker told reporters he gave serious thought to signing with the Knicks over the summer, relays Ian Begley of SNY.tv. New York had the cap space to add two max-level free agents, and Walker would have been a nice alternative after Kyrie Irving opted for the Nets.

“It was (a consideration). It was,” Walker said. “They were definitely one of the teams I was looking at in free agency. But I picked Boston. I just felt it was a better fit for me.”

It would have been a homecoming for Walker, who grew up in the Bronx and had plenty of friends and family on hand tonight for his first trip to the city as a Celtic.

Walker denied a rumor that he chose a different market because he didn’t want to deal with the distractions of playing in his hometown.

“I think it can be a distraction just because you obviously grew up there, you know so many people,” Walker said. “But that wasn’t the case for me. It wasn’t even about that. It was just more about the fit and style of play and things of that nature and I just thought that Boston was the best fit and opportunity for me.”

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