Grading the New York Knicks offseason moves so far

Grading the New York Knicks offseason moves so far: Kemba Walker: D

Yes, it’s still early in the season, but Kemba Walker has proven to be possibly the worst offseason move by the Knicks. As always, he’s been a liability on the defensive end, but the issue is he hasn’t made up for it on the offensive side as he did in previous stops with the Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets.

The Bronx native is supposed to be enjoying a homecoming of sorts, playing for his beloved hometown team. Instead, he is experiencing one of the worst statistical seasons of his NBA career.

He’s been uncharacteristically inconsistent on offense, averaging a career-low 11.7 points per game and failing to score in double-figures in eight of his 18 appearances. His -122 is the worst plus/minus on the entire team. Of all the guards in the league with at least three years of NBA experience and at least 400 minutes played this season, only Terrance Ross has posted a worse plus-minus.

To make matters worse, his playmaking for others has been mediocre at best. The Knicks brought in Walker to add playmaking and scoring from the point guard position, something the team severely lacked during the dog days of Elfrid Payton running the offense. Walker is also averaging a career-low 3.1 assist per game and has yet to dish out more than five assists in a single game.

Walker is at the stage of his career where he’s probably best suited as the sixth man or lead guard off the bench. Unfortunately for both he and the Knicks, this roster isn’t built for him to play a bench role.

The only thing stopping this acquisition from being graded an F right thus far is his contract value. While Walker’s play has been underwhelming through his first 18 games, his contract is still very “team-friendly” and should be easy to move.

On the off chance the Knicks cannot find any suitors for Kemba before the trade deadline or even in the offseason, they can always waive him or buy out his contract as a last resort without eating much salary since he’s only owed approximately $9 million next year.