Mavericks and Walker, a four-time All-Star, close to signing a deal
Kemba Walker, a four-time All-Star guard, and the Dallas Mavericks are nearing a contract, a source familiar with the talks told the source on Monday.
Walker’s career has been postponed due to knee problems, but the 32-year-old may provide the floundering Mavericks with some much-needed backcourt support for superstar Luka Doncic.
The contract hasn’t been signed, and medical is still pending, the source talked to the AP under anonymity. Marc Stein, a veteran NBA reporter, initially broke the story on Substack and other sources followed suit. On Monday afternoon, the Mavs discarded guard Facundo Campazzo in anticipation of the upcoming change.
After making it to the Western Conference finals last year, Dallas is currently on a season-worst four-game losing run to fall below.500.
Jalen Brunson, who the Mavericks lost to the N.Y. Knicks in free agency after he thrived playing alongside Doncic, significantly contributed to Dallas’ success in the postseason without its three-time All-Star.
The Mavericks lost one of their two main ballhandlers behind Doncic due to Brunson’s departure. The majority of the burden has fallen on Spencer Dinwiddie this season.
The shooters around Doncic have also been having trouble, with slumps experienced by Dorian Finney-Smith, Reggie Bullock, and Tim Hardaway.
Due to long-standing knee problems, Walker could only play 37 games during his sole campaign with the New York Knicks last year.
Walker, the ninth overall choice in 2011, developed into an All-Star in Charlotte’s final three of his eight seasons before signing with Boston as a free agent.
Walker participated in most of the pandemic-affected 2019–20 season, the final of five straight years in which he scored at least 20 points per game on average.
Before being traded to the Knicks in the offseason, in his second season with Celtics, Walker only appeared in 43 games.
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