New York Knicks have pulled the plug on the Kemba Walker experiment

The New York Knicks pull the plug on the Kemba Walker experiment. 

Despite not snagging one of the big fishes in free agency, the overwhelming opinion was that the New York Knicks were one of the winners of the 2021 NBA offseason. After all, after making a return to the playoffs as one of the top 4 seeds in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks did nothing but improve the roster.

Their two big acquisitions of the offseason included Evan Fournier (signed via free agency) and Kemba Walker (signed via free agency after being bought out by the Oklahoma City Thunder). After a somewhat up-and-down for both players, it seems like the Knicks have decided to pull the plug on the Kemba experiment.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau spoke to reporters Monday and broke the news that Kemba was no longer in New York’s rotation for the time being. After starting the team’s first 18 games, Kemba has been moved to the bench and Alec Burks will take over as the team’s new starting point guard.

If you’ve been following the Knicks at all this season, this move shouldn’t come as “surprising.” The part that is surprising is the fact that Thibs actually did it.

Even though his counting stats won’t reflect it as a whole over the first 18 games, Kemba simply hasn’t fit as expected on the team. He hasn’t added the scoring punch that perhaps many believed he would and his size and the lack of defensive ability has made him more of a liability than an asset on most nights.

During the month of November, Kemba shot below 40 percent from the field overall and below 30 percent from 3-point range. On the season, the Knicks have a -13.3 net rating when Kemba is on the floor and is one of the worst defensive units in the league.

Conversley, the Knicks have a 5.2 net rating with Burks at point guard and the team, as a whole, improves by 15 points per 100 possessions on the defensive end.

Predictably, this was a move that Thibs had been conteplating for a number of days now (you’d imagine). Since starting 5-1, the Knicks are only 6-8 in their last 14 games. They’re 11-9 overall and are sitting in the 7th spot of the Eastern Conference with the Hawks, Celtics, and Sixers are starting to get healthy and play better basketball.

There isn’t a large margin for error for the Knicks and Thibs recognized that.

The Knicks took a shot on Kemba and it doesn’t seem to have worked. Then again, maybe Kemba just needs some time to get right. Considering the level of player that Kemba is, it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see him back in the rotation by the end of the season. For now, though, it’s clear that he’s better out of the rotation. That, bu all indication, is subjected to change.