I couldn’t be any more upset with myself that I’ve brought myself to even utter those words, but I can’t help but face the music. I love Kemba, I really do. I’ve stated multiple times that I would die for Kemba Walker, but I think that it is time that he and the Celtics part ways.
It hasn’t been a secret that Kemba Walker has had injury issues since arriving in Boston, but that isn’t even the reason why I’m feeling the way I do. Since he’s come back, he’s moved around the floor very well, and he looks healthy. Unfortunately, that has been basically the only positive thing since he’s returned. I could be overreacting, but I’ve felt this way even before this season. I was just too afraid to admit it.
The smaller picture issue? He hasn’t been reliable when he’s been on the floor. He had a good game against the Clippers as the second option, dropping 24 points, and he had 21 against the Cavs in a blowout. Outside of that? Not a whole lot to be excited about. 1-12 one night, 3-13 another game, and 4-20 in the most recent game at the time of writing this article against the Suns. Watching that game, I was frustrated for a lot of reasons: Grant Williams shooting too many threes, Carsen Edwards not shooting enough threes, and the officiating. The biggest issue I had is that every time the Celtics needed a bucket, the ball ended up in Kemba’s hands, instead of Tatum or Pritchard who had a good game, and Kemba just didn’t deliver. This has been a repeated history this season of inconsistency, and I don’t think it will serve as a battle wound to learn from. I think that this is the new reality that we live in.
The bigger picture issue? I think that it is quite clear that the Celtics’ future is Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. The C’s need to build on that, and fill out the rest of the roster with role players. Do I think that Kemba could be a role player, and be a third option? Yes. Do I think that he needs to be making $30 million to do that? Nope. I had the same issue with the C’s wanting to resign Gordon Hayward. I think that Gordon is great, I really do. What I wanted to avoid was him being the fourth option that makes $30 million a year. I think that Kemba has served his purpose here in Boston, and that is to teach Brown and Tatum the tricks of the trade, and how to operate as a professional basketball player.
So what do we do next? I think that Kemba does have things to offer to a different franchise, and I think that he has been an incredible sport through this whole experience here in Boston. I want to be fair. I want to work on a deal to send him to a franchise that he would want to play for. Who would that be? Well, according to Kemba himself, he almost signed with the Knicks before ultimately signing with Boston. Kemba cited that he wanted to go home, and I think that we should do him that favor. Who do we get in return? The newly acquired Derrick Rose. We’ll take other pieces to make the salaries work. I’d really like Julius Randle, but that won’t work unless we give up picks, so probably just Rose and a trade exception.
It would work for both parties: Kemba would get to be a starter for his hometown team, and the Celtics get bench scoring and depth. Who takes Kemba’s place? Marcus Smart, most likely when he comes back from injury. Who would I pick? Pritchard. He’s played his heart out, he plays defense, he won’t take shots away from Tatum or Brown, and he seems ready for a bigger role.
I don’t want it to be this way. I wish it were different, but this is the reality that we live in. I think that it’s time to move on, whether I like it or not.
Round The Game 
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