The Dallas Mavericks took a chance on Kemba Walker after the season had already begun. The NBA veteran had been waiting for his next opportunity after Thanksgiving, a sign of a genuine lack of interest in his services.
It’s not that Walker can’t step onto the court and provide an impact for a team in a vacuum. There is no better display of this than when he racked up 32 points, five rebounds, and seven assists against a tough Cleveland Cavaliers team at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on a night when Luka Doncic was sidelined. While the Mavs lost the game, Walker was instrumental in sending the game to overtime.
One NBA scout mentioned to NBA Analysis Network that it’s clear Walker’s knee is a concern, but he could provide a team with valuable locker room leadership. One team that stands out as a logical landing spot is the Houston Rockets.
“The Mavericks were pretty vocal about their concerns with Kemba’s knee before he even played a game for them. When they ran him for 40+ minutes in that OT game against the Cavs last month because of Luka being out, it seems they overworked him. Having confidence in his knee holding up for a long period is difficult, but his locker room presence could help a team.”
The scout explained: “A team that should look into bringing him in is the Houston Rockets. He’s a great mentor for teammates, and they could use that direction. They are struggling with playing hard consistently and aren’t playing together on a lot of nights.”
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Kemba Walker & Houston Rockets Updates
The Rockets do have Eric Gordon in the fold, but it remains to be seen how much longer he will remain with the organization. Whether he stays or not, there is need for more veteran leadership and mentorship in Houston’s locker room.
While the grand prize of the 2023 NBA Draft is to be in a position to select transcendent talent Victor Wembenyama, the Rockets don’t need to be sinking to the bottom of the Western Conference standings while picking up bad habit after bad habit.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Kemba Walker & Houston Rockets Updates
One player that appears primed to be in a position to benefit from more mentorship is Kevin Porter Jr. Many players complain about his overly trigger-happy scoring tendencies. Finding the proper balance between creating with the basketball and moving the ball is necessary.
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