Kemba Walker Is The Most Underrated Player In The NBA

[Pointgod]

Too bad he’s going nowhere on OKC.

[Infinite Llamas]

Watching him for two years, I felt like he got in Brown and Tatum’s way more often than not. In Charlotte he thrived as an alpha, but had trouble settling into a more complimentary role, which is probably due to injuries...but also possibly due to ego. It just wasn’t a great fit

[phanman]

I mean it took the #16 pick and an additional SRP + taking on Horford's final 26.5m contract for Boston to get off the remaining 36m and 37.6m PO on his contract.

[The_Hater]

This thread is about 2 years late. Walker has slipped pretty badly over that time and can no longer stay healthy.

[Feel_the_Heat15]

I think price is really key. Kemba did start super super slow last season and picked it up as it went along. And it did feel like he never just meshed with Boston.

I'd be scared to pay Kemba 36 and 37 next two seasons. If you factor in contract, he's definitely not the most underrated at all.

If Lowry wants a 2 year 50, I'd rather pay that. Save 20 million with very similar, if not slightly better production.

How is 2 years of paying Lowry $50 million better than 2 years of paying Kemba $73 million? The former is 35 while the latter is 31. Lowry is nowhere close to being the scorer that Kemba is right now and he looked terrible towards the end of the season.

[Feel_the_Heat15]

This is a player who averaged nearly 20 PPG over the past 2 seasons on good efficiency. He spaces the floor well and plays above average defense for a point guard. Are we forgetting how good Kemba was in Charlotte? Whoever gets Kemba from OKC will be getting a steal based off of what most teams around the league perceive his value to be. Simply didn't work out in Boston because he was usually injured during the most pivotal point of the season and there wasn't much chemistry between him, Tatum and Brown. Teams should be going after Kemba, not Lowry this year.

Huh?

I love Kemba as anyone, but he's routinely hunted in high stakes games. He gives great effort, but this statement is just false.

Unless you're an elite defender at the PG position, you usually are. Just because he gets hunted doesn't mean he's a huge liability on the defensive end.

[MagicBagley18]

This is a player who averaged nearly 20 PPG over the past 2 seasons on good efficiency. He spaces the floor well and plays above average defense for a point guard. Are we forgetting how good Kemba was in Charlotte? Whoever gets Kemba from OKC will be getting a steal based off of what most teams around the league perceive his value to be. Simply didn't work out in Boston because he was usually injured during the most pivotal point of the season and there wasn't much chemistry between him, Tatum and Brown. Teams should be going after Kemba, not Lowry this year.

Huh?

I love Kemba as anyone, but he's routinely hunted in high stakes games. He gives great effort, but this statement is just false.

Unless you're an elite defender at the PG position, you usually are. Just because he gets hunted doesn't mean he's a huge liability on the defensive end.

I’ve watched every celtic game he’s ever played.....he’s a huge liability defensively. When he’s healthy u can overlook it with his scoring and the fact he takes charges but he’s been banged up for a year and a half. Defensively he’s a huge liability

[Duffman100]

I think price is really key. Kemba did start super super slow last season and picked it up as it went along. And it did feel like he never just meshed with Boston.

I'd be scared to pay Kemba 36 and 37 next two seasons. If you factor in contract, he's definitely not the most underrated at all.

If Lowry wants a 2 year 50, I'd rather pay that. Save 20 million with very similar, if not slightly better production.

How is 2 years of paying Lowry $50 million better than 2 years of paying Kemba $73 million? The former is 35 while the latter is 31. Lowry is nowhere close to being the scorer that Kemba is right now and he looked terrible towards the end of the season.

No where close to the scorer but average 1.5 points less? Lowry is better at everything else.

[Duke4life831]

This is a player who averaged nearly 20 PPG over the past 2 seasons on good efficiency. He spaces the floor well and plays above average defense for a point guard. Are we forgetting how good Kemba was in Charlotte? Whoever gets Kemba from OKC will be getting a steal based off of what most teams around the league perceive his value to be. Simply didn't work out in Boston because he was usually injured during the most pivotal point of the season and there wasn't much chemistry between him, Tatum and Brown. Teams should be going after Kemba, not Lowry this year.

Huh?

I love Kemba as anyone, but he's routinely hunted in high stakes games. He gives great effort, but this statement is just false.

Unless you're an elite defender at the PG position, you usually are. Just because he gets hunted doesn't mean he's a huge liability on the defensive end.

Agreed, many PGs get hunted but they aren't huge liabilities on the defensive end. But Kemba no doubt is a huge liability on that end. This becomes far more noticeable come playoff time. Kemba especially in the playoffs is kind of the definition of a defensive liability.

[BostonCouchGM]

stop. He's among the worst defenders in the league, isn't a playmaker and is pretty one-dimensional on offense. He puts up numbers because he's afforded touches and shots. Pretty much anyone can do this. He's got top 5 worst contracts as well.

[Johnny Bball]

I think price is really key. Kemba did start super super slow last season and picked it up as it went along. And it did feel like he never just meshed with Boston.

I'd be scared to pay Kemba 36 and 37 next two seasons. If you factor in contract, he's definitely not the most underrated at all.

If Lowry wants a 2 year 50, I'd rather pay that. Save 20 million with very similar, if not slightly better production.

How is 2 years of paying Lowry $50 million better than 2 years of paying Kemba $73 million? The former is 35 while the latter is 31. Lowry is nowhere close to being the scorer that Kemba is right now and he looked terrible towards the end of the season.

No where close to the scorer but average 1.5 points less? Lowry is better at everything else.

This is the kind of post you don't even respond to Duff.

[_qubik]

Small, isnt young (not old though), big salary, not efficient, not the best passer and playmaker, cant be healthy

[Feel_the_Heat15]

I think price is really key. Kemba did start super super slow last season and picked it up as it went along. And it did feel like he never just meshed with Boston.

I'd be scared to pay Kemba 36 and 37 next two seasons. If you factor in contract, he's definitely not the most underrated at all.

If Lowry wants a 2 year 50, I'd rather pay that. Save 20 million with very similar, if not slightly better production.

How is 2 years of paying Lowry $50 million better than 2 years of paying Kemba $73 million? The former is 35 while the latter is 31. Lowry is nowhere close to being the scorer that Kemba is right now and he looked terrible towards the end of the season.

No where close to the scorer but average 1.5 points less? Lowry is better at everything else.

Kemba played 31 minutes per game while Lowry played 34. Lowry might be better at everything else but it's not like you'd take Lowry over Irving.

Huh?

I love Kemba as anyone, but he's routinely hunted in high stakes games. He gives great effort, but this statement is just false.

Unless you're an elite defender at the PG position, you usually are. Just because he gets hunted doesn't mean he's a huge liability on the defensive end.

Agreed, many PGs get hunted but they aren't huge liabilities on the defensive end. But Kemba no doubt is a huge liability on that end. This becomes far more noticeable come playoff time. Kemba especially in the playoffs is kind of the definition of a defensive liability.

If he's a huge liability what does that make players like Trae Young, Irving or Lillard? When you talk about bad defenders you usually don't hear Kemba's name. His DBPM is decent and so is his DRPM.

[Duke4life831]

How is 2 years of paying Lowry $50 million better than 2 years of paying Kemba $73 million? The former is 35 while the latter is 31. Lowry is nowhere close to being the scorer that Kemba is right now and he looked terrible towards the end of the season.

No where close to the scorer but average 1.5 points less? Lowry is better at everything else.

Kemba played 31 minutes per game while Lowry played 34. Lowry might be better at everything else but it's not like you'd take Lowry over Irving.

Unless you're an elite defender at the PG position, you usually are. Just because he gets hunted doesn't mean he's a huge liability on the defensive end.

Agreed, many PGs get hunted but they aren't huge liabilities on the defensive end. But Kemba no doubt is a huge liability on that end. This becomes far more noticeable come playoff time. Kemba especially in the playoffs is kind of the definition of a defensive liability.

If he's a huge liability what does that make players like Trae Young, Irving or Lillard? When you talk about bad defenders you usually don't hear Kemba's name. His DBPM is decent and so is his DRPM.

Trae Young and Dame are horrific defenders and major liabilities as well. Kyrie is more along the lines of the kind of player you're describing. Kyrie isn't an elite defender and he coasts for a good amount of time during the regular season, but come playoff time he may get picked on, but he isn't a major liability on that end. He actually uses his size and hands well on the defensive end.

But yes Trae Young is a liability, Dame is a liability, Kemba is a liability. I dont think that is really a controversial take or any breaking news around here. Hell I think most people have considered Trae Young to be one of the worst defenders in the league since he has come in.

[phanman]

How is 2 years of paying Lowry $50 million better than 2 years of paying Kemba $73 million? The former is 35 while the latter is 31. Lowry is nowhere close to being the scorer that Kemba is right now and he looked terrible towards the end of the season.

No where close to the scorer but average 1.5 points less? Lowry is better at everything else.

Kemba played 31 minutes per game while Lowry played 34. Lowry might be better at everything else but it's not like you'd take Lowry over Irving.

What does Irving have to do with this conversation? Kemba also took an additional 2.7 FGA for his +2.1pts last season. Your talking about a 10-12m annual difference for slightly better scoring while Lowry has him beat in every other facet of basketball including playing defense.

[JimmyFromNz]

Come on man, hes clearly a liability on that end, it's clear to anyone that watched him the past 2 seasons, he's not only hunted but he's unable to stay in plays on AND off the ball. Some of it was definitely knee related, but its very much where he's at in his career, what you're getting in offense is not being balanced by that deficiency in the same way the other elite 1 way guards are producing, and well DPBM is entirely unhelpful. The one redeeming factor on that end has been his ability to take charges, which is somewhat been out of necessity more than anything.

Whether he's underrated, I think that depends on what you consider his outlook now to be 'post, injury...

To date he's certainly hasnt been underrated, a scoring point guard with a wildly inconsistent outside shot who now struggles to consistently take contact or adjust on his drives. Beyond that the playmaking has been average at best from that position, and as noted the defense is a clear net negative. Combine those factors with the 73 million owed now in his early 30s, it would be a real optimist to suggest he's underrated, unless we are expecting a full rebound to at least 85% of what he was coming into Boston.

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[MoneyTalks41890]

Idk about underrated, but OKC isn't thinking they have a gem or anything. He's a rehab project that I bet gets moved at the deadline for expriings.

[Yuri Vaultin]

I think price is really key. Kemba did start super super slow last season and picked it up as it went along. And it did feel like he never just meshed with Boston.

I'd be scared to pay Kemba 36 and 37 next two seasons. If you factor in contract, he's definitely not the most underrated at all.

If Lowry wants a 2 year 50, I'd rather pay that. Save 20 million with very similar, if not slightly better production.

How is 2 years of paying Lowry $50 million better than 2 years of paying Kemba $73 million? The former is 35 while the latter is 31. Lowry is nowhere close to being the scorer that Kemba is right now and he looked terrible towards the end of the season.

While Kemba is 31, his left knee is 97.

[JB2]

At one quarter of the price, he'd be a great piece for most championship teams. The Lakers or Clippers, for example, could really use his scoring punch.. but like others have said, once playoffs come, that all changes. He's probably most valuable to said team as a 6th man scorer because he's not closing games unless in offense for defense substitution situations.

At one point, I think many thought he can be that 3rd guy on a championship team. Nah. We now know that's not even close to the case.

[kuclas]

Players with Kemba's contract can be easily traded at trade deadline when his contract length is down less than 2 years. All Kemba has to prove is he's relative healthy. Can play 20-25 minutes. Sure he's overpaid. But I'd love to have Kemba on the Sixers if the price were right. I wouldn't trade Ben Simmons for him considering health and age. So trade may involve a 3rd team like Wizards with Westbrook or Wall.

But Kemba can and will be traded by mid season. OKC may be in the tank for another season so willing to take on a salary dump like Wiggins also. (I'm not suggestion Kemba goes to GSW). But a third team will have to be involved.