Please guess the player based on the following information:
Defenders with strong attack power but strong attack and weak defense have entered the All-Star Game. They once played playoff games with injuries in Celtics. After being abandoned by Celtics, they left and lost their jobs, even if you are willing to accept the replacement role and the basic salary contract, it is still difficult to find a job.
Two answers: “Little assassin” Thomas and kenba Walker,
On October 8, Beijing time, Walker came to spectators in the first battle between Hornets and Celtics. Hornets fans cheered and applauded the former heroes. In an interview with Boston Globe, Walker opened his heart and revealed that he had not settled the buyout with the piston. After that, once the contract was bought out, he was willing to accept the basic salary contract and substitute role.
The 32-year-old player, who was once selected as an All-Star four times, has been low enough, but he also revealed a sad news: So far, no team has contacted him.
How did Walker get to this point?
In the summer of 2019, Walker was full of ambition at that time. In the previous season, Walker scored 25.6 points and 5.9 assists for the first time in the best team (three teams). The time for him to achieve this achievement was perfect, because facing the negotiation of a new contract, he triggered the super top salary and was eligible to sign a five-year, 0.221 billion-dollar sky-high contract with the Hornets.
However, the Wasp operating at a small cost is obviously unwilling to open this contract. Seeing that it was hard to leave Walker, the wasp signed with the Celtics first and then changed it. Walker was sent to the Celtics. Although Walker’s contract shrank a lot, $0.14 billion in 4 years was also in line with his worth.
Walker came to Boston with great pride. He said that his combination with Tatum would “make his opponent timid”. He thought he could become a real winner in Celtics.
However, fate is really unclear. No matter how you preset your plan, it may be useless, and in the end, you cannot escape fate.
In the past 10 years, the Celts seem to have become “the grave of the Guard”. Rondo suffered serious knee injuries here, and Thomas never returned to the peak after suffering hip injuries. Owen played only 127 games for two seasons because of knee injuries. Three generations of Celtic guards before Walker did not escape the curse of injury. Although Walker was an Iron Man in the wasp era, his Iron Man Constitution became a glass man Constitution when he arrived in Boston.
In the 2019-20 season, Walker started well, scoring 30 points in the first 5 games. But after the left knee was injured, Walker’s condition declined. In the last eight games before the outbreak stopped, Walker scored 16.8 points, and the field goal percentage was only 31.7 percent. He made only 8 out of 29 shots within 5 feet of the basket, and was severely blocked 8 times. During that time, Walker’s movement was obviously limited.
The alliance was suspended for four months due to the epidemic. Walker got a rare time to recuperate. He returned to Charlotte’s home for special training to strengthen knee strength. After the restart of the season, Walker returned with blood. In the first round of the playoffs, he played 76 people, and Walker scored 24.3 points with a hit rate of nearly 50%. However, in the second round, Walker twisted his left knee and played hot with the Raptors series and the Eastern finals. Walker was not in the best state.
Today, when Walker recalled the 2020 playoffs again, he regretted his return. Even Anji, who was the president of Celtics at that time, said that maybe they shouldn’t let Walker return early after the rematch. But Walker stressed that the Celts at that time had the opportunity to go further, which was very rare. If he is given another chance, he may choose to play.
During the offseason in 2020, those teams who participated in the rematch went to visit famous doctors after the shortest offseason in history. Walker did not receive surgery. His left knee received stem cell injection, and then he needed 12 weeks of intensive training.
Walker missed the first 11 games of the 2020-21 season. When Walker returned from the First World War with Knicks, he said that his knee had no pain and he only needed time to get back. Unfortunately, Walker did not maintain a stable attendance rate and state throughout the season. He played basketable nets in the first round of the playoffs. Walker’s performance in the first three games was dismal. In total, he made only 13 out of 41 votes, among them, three points, 17 shots, 3 shots, and the last two shots were not beaten due to injury.
“Walker is not the former Walker. He still has some value, but is he worthy of the annual salary of 30 million dollars? If the conclusion is not worthy, how do you build a team around him?” An executive of the Eastern team said.
During the off-season in 2021, Stevens took office and became the Celtics President. His first shot was to send Walker back to Horford, which saved a lot of money and upgraded the insider. As for Walker, he negotiated with thunder, gave up the $20 million in the last two-year contract worth $74 million, bought out the contract, and then joined the Knicks for $17.9 million in two years.
New York is Walker’s hometown, and Knicks is also a team in urgent need of attacking-type defenders. It seems that Walker and Knicks are a perfect match. At that time, ESPN data analysis expert Kevin Pelton also wrote a long article that Walker could provide great help to Knicks, and he could make Knicks more powerful in attack. An Eastern team scout also said, “Walker is perfect for Knicks.”
However, this journey home described as “crazy” by Walker became a nightmare.
In Walker’s first 18 games, he scored less than 12 points per game. When the Knicks first five-player group was present, the net negative of 100 rounds exceeded 15 points, which was the worst starting lineup in the league. Originally, I thought SIBO du would change, for example, let Walker play a substitute, but unexpectedly, SIBO du took an extreme approach and directly withdrew Walker from the rotation lineup.
When sibodu faced the shortage of manpower, he once activated Walker. Walker cut 44 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists in the first battle with Wizards, and then launched three pairs in the first battle with eagles, intermittently proves one’s ability. But in January 2022, Walker was again in the cold. Walker once again returned to the rotation team, but he just played a few games, and he once again stopped because of knee pain.
At the end of February 2022, Walker and Knicks agreed that Walker would not play in the remaining season. This summer, Walker was sent to the piston by Knicks. His contract is worth 9.16 million dollars a year left, and both parties are expected to find a suitable amount to buy out the contract. When Walker bought out the contract, he could only fight for the basic salary contract just like little Thomas now.
A scout from the eastern team summed up Walker’s current situation very well. He thought: “He felt that he was in bad health when he left Charlotte. He did everything himself in the wasp, when he arrived at Celtic, his body could not hold up.”
“There is also defense. His size is too small and his defensive ability is insufficient to stand in front of his defensive object. When the opponent targeted him in the playoffs, he was helpless.”
In this era when attacking-type defenders catch a lot, it is difficult for a veteran like Walker who has hidden dangers of injury and poor defense to get a security contract again. Waiting for his fate may be the same as that of little Thomas, you can only sign a short 10-day contract in the middle of the season when a team encounters an injury tide.
Walker’s career has earned nearly 0.17 billion dollars so far. Money is not a problem. He can retire now. But in order to play, Walker is still willing to put down his conceit.
Walker said that he only needs a team to trust him once more. Waiting is not to prove anything, but to continue to enjoy the fun of basketball. The love for basketball is the energy source that supports him to continue waiting.