It has been over two months since ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Pistons and Kemba Walker were finalizing a buyout agreement, but with training camps set to tip off in less than three weeks, the veteran point guard remains under contract in Detroit.
As James L. Edwards III of The Athletic explains in his latest mailbag, the Pistons would still like to buy out Walker, and the holdup isn’t due to anything on their end. Sources tell Edwards that Walker and the Pistons found common ground on a buyout number that would reduce his $9,165,471 cap hit by “a few million,” but the 32-year-old has yet to officially agree to those terms.
While Edwards can’t confirm why the move has been delayed, he suspects that Walker doesn’t yet have a new NBA home lined up and isn’t inclined to give up a portion of his salary until he’s confident he can make most or all of that money back on a new deal.
The Pistons currently have 17 players on guaranteed contracts and presumably aren’t interested in having Walker on their 15-man roster to start the season, since that would require them to trade or release two other players instead of just one. That means their leverage is limited as they try to nudge Walker to surrender some of his salary.
If he’s not confident he’ll have a contract offer on the table from another team, Walker could simply wait out the Pistons and let them waive him before the season begins, at which point they’d owe him his full $9MM+ salary. Taking that route wouldn’t be a major financial burden for Detroit, since the team’s total salary remains below the cap.
A minimum-salary contract for Walker in 2022/23 would be worth $2,905,851, so if he does find a suitor willing to sign him, that could be the amount he gives back to the Pistons in a buyout agreement.
A four-time All-Star, Walker has seen his production dip in the last year or two as he has been slowed by knee issues. He averaged 11.6 PPG and 3.5 APG on .403/.367/.845 shooting in 37 games (25.6 MPG) last season for the Knicks, and was a liability on defense.
Kemba is playing his cards right here. Keep waiting. If nothing else, the Celtics will be there when Brogdon goes down.
You’re way off on that.
I know you are kinda obsessed with talking about Brogdon getting injured. but the Celtics already have Smart, White and Pritchard to play PG. It’s by far the position with the most depth on the team. They need more bigs, not more PGs.
Agreed. Walker to LAL is more likely
Is Walker old enough to play for the current lakers?
Your uncle Rick was a hell of a player and quite knowledgeable about the game. Sadly he didn’t pass that particular gene to you . As my friend Curtis expounded the celtics have considerable depth behind the very dangerous brogdon. No need for the creaky kneed Kemba.
Idk if its right to call Kemba creeky kneed when Brogdons missed 30% of his career games due to injuries
But atleast when brogdan plays hes good at defense
Did you see Brogdon play defense with the Pacers when those knee’s were barking??? I like Brogdon. However, this is not Milwaukee Malcolm Brogdon. He is good for 20 minutes a night, and will need maintenance on that. Injuries take a toll fella’s. Brandon Roy. Remember him. Knee’s popped him out of the league in less than 5 years.
This post is about Walker. Who would be 5th on the Celtics depth chart at pg.
Walker should be able to find a new team relatively easy. Although he’s probably not a starter anymore he would be a very good reserve point guard. Can obviously run an offence well, can score at will with a little less efficiency but it’s Kembla Walker. Dude was an all star just a couple seasons ago.
He cant get to the rim and finish any more.
I mean not at an all star level or starter level but that’s what I mean if you didn’t have those expectations of him. He’s still be a good bench player. I’d have him over other small reserve point guards like Raul Neto, Immanuel Quickly, That McLaughlin guy on the twolves, And many others
Cause if he is feeling it he can give you a solid 30/40 point game but more often than not your just wanting 10-4 or something like that
He showed last year that at the very least he can still shoot
Kemba Walker is the epitome of a player who got stats on bad teams for his entire career. Kemba has never sniffed the playoffs. Never come close. On bad wheels not much demand for Kemba. He is gonna need some guys to get hurt. Not much left those legs.
@ Very Barry
“Kemba has never sniffed the playoffs. Never come close”
Im not saying its alot. 21 games averaging 20 pts.
What makes you not believe that?
I dont understand.
Please help me understand.
Teams don’t want to pay Walker his salary. So are waiting for him to get bought out. At minimum he can be offense off the bench. He can be a third PG or 5th guard in rotation.
Definitely. If he’s willing to accept a reserve role adding some leadership for a young promising team, that’d be the best outcome
They aren’t even remotely worried about that! The entire league knows he will be waived & bought out or bought out and waived. Not one team is hesitant on him because of this issue. Once he finds a team, they will offer him the Veterans league minimum based on his years accumulated so roughly 3 million. It’s totally a non issue.
The holdup on Walker’s end can only be that he doesn’t have even a minimum wage offer from any team that he wants to join. He’s not negotiating salary. He’s making 36.5 mm this year (27.5 mm from OKC and 9 mm from DET). What difference does it make to him how much of the 9 mm that DET now owes him comes from his next team? None financially.
He isn’t a star player anymore, so those extra few million dollars are the only thing that is a motivation. If he can’t find that amount somewhere else, he’ll just sit and make the full amount in Detroit. Detroit can always just release him and pay him the full amount. Or keep him around to mentor Ivy.
Come on back to Charlotte, Kemba
Kemba is a tweener. No spot on a winnish enough veteran team and too old for a young losing one at any price.
Charlotte will make room for him because he’s Kemba. The Wizards could use him. Miami might call around the new year.