DALLAS — Kemba Walker spent the Saturday after Thanksgiving like many: with family in front of the TV, watching sports.
Rather than a laid back, post-holiday afternoon, Walker flicked on the Mavericks’ game against the Toronto Raptors and got to work.
No time to relax since, either.
The 32-year-old former All-Star point guard officially signed Tuesday with the Mavericks, who are hopeful he can help fill their lingering, looming void in ball-handling and offensive shot-creation alongside Luka Doncic and Spencer Dinwiddie.
In his first interview in Dallas on Wednesday, Walker envisioned the same.
Away from live action since February amid chronic knee issues, a trade and contract buyout, and a free-agent wait, Walker discussed his health, anticipated role and plan to start playing in games “hopefully sooner rather than later.”
“It was too much fun out there last night,” Walker said of watching the Mavericks’ Tuesday win over the Warriors from the bench. “Love to see the way they played last night, so I would love to be a part of that.”
That Walker, dressed in a blue, team-issued sweatsuit and New York Yankees hat, toured the Mavericks’ Design District practice facility Wednesday was perhaps an ironic twist fans would like to undo.
After Walker played 37 of 82 games for the Knicks last season, averaging a career-low 11.6 points and 3.5 assists, New York dumped the remainder of his two-year, $17.9 million contract in a trade with the Detroit Pistons.
Many doubted the move as possible before free agency started. But it wound up helping the Knicks open enough salary cap space to lure Jalen Brunson from Dallas instead.
Walker boarded the Mavericks’ flight Wednesday for their upcoming two-game road trip — ironically, to Detroit on Thursday and New York on Saturday — because the Mavericks’ front office hasn’t found a replacement for Brunson’s production and ball-handling steadiness.
Walker expects to help.
He trained throughout the offseason in Orlando, Fla., where a methodical ramp-up since he and the Knicks agreed he’d sit out the last 23 games of the season has left him confident in his health and durability after dealing with “arthritic” knee issues last winter.
“I feel really good, to be honest,” Walker said. “I’m not just saying that. I know I haven’t played in a while, but I feel good. I feel as good as I’ve felt in a very long time. I really took my time and made sure I felt better before I really started ramping myself up as well. Yeah, I know I can just say that, but I guess we’ll just have to see for real.”
Walker spent the first quarter of this NBA season following games while waiting for an offer since Detroit cut him in mid-October. He’d watched several Mavericks games before he tuned into the Toronto loss upon learning of his likely move to Dallas.
His impressions of new backcourt mate Doncic: “Luka doesn’t really need any pressure taken off him. That kid is special.”
And of Dinwiddie: “Been killing it this year.”
He also mentioned third-year wing Josh Green as a rising talent he’s looking forward to helping.
“Just add another guy who can create for others and myself,” Walker said. “I think I can help in that aspect.”
No clarity yet on when Walker will do so live.
He hasn’t played since the Knicks’ final game before the All-Star break last season (Feb. 16), and he has realized “you can’t really simulate an NBA game — that’s one of the hardest things to do.”
Full-team practice time will also be minimal as the Mavericks start a stretch of six games over the next 10 days, including four on the road and a set of back-to-backs.
”First, we have to look at him on the court, and then we’ll just see how he feels,” coach Jason Kidd said Tuesday. “He hasn’t practiced, you know, for a while here, so we’ll see how he feels.”
But Walker is already learning.
Before Tuesday’s game, Walker heard for the first time that the Mavericks had pursued him during free agency in 2019 — when he left the Charlotte Hornets as a three-time reigning All-Star to sign with the Boston Celtics and earn another berth to the showcase.
Dallas has new leadership, new on-court needs and new expectations now.
So does Walker.
“I know who I am,” Walker said. “I’m very comfortable in my own skin. Like I said, I’ve just been really working hard to get back.”
