Jayson Tatum has interesting reaction to latest Kemba Walker news originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Kemba Walker could soon be an NBA free agent.
If that happens, would a return to the Boston Celtics be possible?
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported Friday that the Dallas Mavericks are waiving Walker before his salary becomes guaranteed on Sunday.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum responded to MacMahon’s tweet with a shamrock and eye emojis.
It doesn’t take much to get NBA Twitter excited, especially if emojis are involved.
Walker is not the same player he was with the Celtics. Injuries over the years have limited him athletically. He can sometimes provide some offense off the bench. Walker averaged eight points on 42.1 percent shooting and 25 percent from 3-point range over nine games with the Mavericks this season. He’s never been a good perimeter defender, and that’s certainly still the case.
However, as an end-of-the-bench guy, Walker would be a good fit for the Celtics. He’s a great teammate and his infectious smile inspires positivity among the players. He’s a good guy to have in the locker room.
But the Celtics shouldn’t pursue Walker to play any kind of meaningful role. They already have three point guards — Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon and Payton Pritchard — who are better players and need minutes.