Kemba Walker to Boston

slamminsammya

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Jul 31, 2006
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Kemba getting hunted on defense definitely isn't going to get any better, injured or not. That said, it would not be remotely surprising to me if he turns up healthy whenever he's on the court next and is a better offensive player. Interestingly enough he shot 56% from inside the arc in the playoffs, which is excellent (his career high 49%). If he had shot better than 31% from 3, this is a very different conversation.
I mean, hes a defensive liability, but name a playoff team that doesn't have one. People tend to forget in the emotion of watching these intense playoff games that not everyone can be incredible two way players.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Mar 26, 2005
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Kemba’s knee still being an issue after months of COVID delay scares the shit out of me. He’s a taller Cleveland IT4 if he doesn’t have his quickness and he isn’t getting any younger either. Someone, probably @radsoxfan , sounded the alarm bells when it came out that he had a Synvisc injection. It doesn’t seem like things got any better because he was pretty awful for a lot of the Bubble. Hopefully surgery or a full offseason can fix it but three years left on that contract makes me so nervous.
Yeah, Synvisc doesn't help anything really and there are a limited number of injections that one can do. It's a temporary fix.

I've been rooting for Kemba since he was at UConn and it won't stop even though he had a sub-par playoff but very interested to see what happens next year.
 

lexrageorge

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Jul 31, 2007
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If the rest of the association is as bullish on Hayward as you, he’s not going to opt in. You want to sign him long term?
Not necessarily. This coming offseason will be very different with regards to available $$$, and Hayward may not have a better opportunity than to opt in, regardless of his health.

Extending him at sub-max money is also a possibility.

There's also a chance he could be gone. Wyc's profit margin goes up, and there would once again be more minutes for Semi. But otherwise not sure the benefit if he's allowed to walk for nothing.
 

nighthob

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Jul 15, 2005
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Not on another max deal, but if a reasonable compromise could be reached, he's a fantastic No. 3 (or No. 4) option when healthy. We saw in Game 3 what he means to this team at both ends of the court.
I’m hoping the rest of the league is as bullish as you suggest, it will make him easily tradeable this fall and allow Boston to find someone a little less snakebit.
 

OurF'ingCity

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Apr 22, 2016
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I’m hoping the rest of the league is as bullish as you suggest, it will make him easily tradeable this fall and allow Boston to find someone a little less snakebit.
Unless you can point to something that actually makes Hayward more prone to freak injuries, calling Hayward “snakebit” is like rolling a 20-sided die three times, having it land on 1 all three times, and then declaring that you have to throw out the die because there’s obviously something wrong with it.
 

nighthob

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Jul 15, 2005
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Well he actually has been snakebit in Boston, i.e. he’s had some really bad luck. Long term Boston won’t be able to re-sign him. Either he or Kemba has to go.
 

BigSoxFan

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May 31, 2007
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I fully expect Danny to run it back with this group once Hayward opts in but I would be tempted if CP3 were available for Kemba, a pick, and filler. Salaries aside, I’d rather have Paul for next 2 years and certainly don’t want any part of Kemba’s last year.
 

chilidawg

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Jan 22, 2015
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Kemba getting hunted on defense definitely isn't going to get any better, injured or not. That said, it would not be remotely surprising to me if he turns up healthy whenever he's on the court next and is a better offensive player. Interestingly enough he shot 56% from inside the arc in the playoffs, which is excellent (his career high 49%). If he had shot better than 31% from 3, this is a very different conversation.
If he'd just made a couple open 3s down the stretch we might not be having the conversation at all.