Last month, Kemba Walker dropped 32 points for the Cavaliers, his best performance in almost a year. It was also the Mavericks guard’s first start since February 16, and his last in-game appearance with the Knicks.
But that wasn’t a sign that anything was going to happen to the 32-year-old.
The Mavericks waived the veteran guard before his contract was fully guaranteed this weekend, ESPN reported Friday.
Walker signed with Dallas in late November, hoping to revive his career after a knee problem cut his time with the Knicks and Celtics. He averaged 8 points and 2.1 assists in 16 minutes per game during .
Walker is one of many NBA players whose contracts are guaranteed if they are not fired. until 5pm on SaturdayTherefore, to avoid paying Walker the full veteran minimum, the team released him.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks said firing Walker before the deadline saved the Mavericks about $700,000.
Walker had a 42.1% field goal percentage and a 25% 3-point line percentage for the Mavs, making just 7 of 28 shots.
The Mavs are Walker’s fifth team since moving the Charlotte Hornets to Boston in the summer of 2019, replacing current Brooklyn Net player Kyrie Irving. That includes offseason stretches over the past two seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Detroit Pistons, though Walker never officially fit into either.
This is the end of a line for a 12-year NBA veteran, as he last made the All-Star team in 2020, just before the pandemic, and has well-documented knee problems that have plagued him since leaving Charlotte. may become. 33 in May.