Mavericks waive Kemba Walker after the guard played just NINE games for Dallas… but Boston could be on the cards next as Jayson Tatum teases a return to the Celtics
The Dallas Mavericks waived veteran guard Kemba Walker on Friday, but his next move could already be close to fruition judging by a cryptic Jayson Tatum Tweet.
Walker joined Dallas in November on a veteran’s minimum contract of $2.2million, and played just nine games for the franchise.
The move came a day before his salary would have become guaranteed for the rest of the season.
Kemba Walker played just nine games this season for the Mavericks before being cut
However, if Tatum gets his wish, his ex-teammate Walker won’t have to wait much longer to find a new home.
Responding to a Tweet from ESPN’s Tim McMahon that broke the news of Walker’s parting from the Mavs, Tatum Tweeted out an eyeball emojis and two shamrock emojis, an obvious nod to the Celtics.
Walker was Tatum’s teammate for two seasons (2019-21) in Boston, earning All-Star honors in his first year there as he averaged 20.4 points and the team reached the Eastern Conference Finals.
Jayson Tatum teased a Boston return for Walker after news of his Dallas exit was reported
Tatum and Walker were teammates for two seasons in Boston, from 2019-21
However, it’s been a precipitous fall from grace since then, as he’s struggled with injuries and fell out of Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotation last season.
That led to the team trading him out of New York after just one season there, though he agreed to a buyout with the Pistons before landing with the Mavs.
In Dallas, he averaged 8.0 points per game in a reserve role behind Luka Doncic and Spencer Dinwiddie.
While Tatum may want Walker back for some scoring depth, the four-time All-Star is a diminished version of his best self, or even the version that was in Boston two seasons ago.
Additionally, Boston already have the best offensive rating in the league, so they’re not exactly desperate for a Walker reunion.
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