Kemba Walker signing with Knicks after Thunder buyout - New York Post

Kemba Walker is coming home.

The Bronx native has agreed to join the Knicks and form a point-guard tandem with Derrick Rose after being bought out by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, according to an NBA source.

There was no trade market for Walker given his max contract — a four-year, $140 million deal signed with the Hornets that has two years and $74 million left on it.

With the Knicks adding Walker into their remaining $8 million or so salary-cap space after Rose’s cap hold comes off, the Thunder had financial motivation to take this course. They either gain by an offset clause or Walker was able to take less from OKC in a buyout, knowing of the Knicks’ cap money coming his way to return to New York City.

The 31-year-old’s play slipped this past season as his body broke down due to knee injuries, playing in 43 of 72 games with Boston. But the Knicks feel Walker is still an All-Star-caliber guard if his body is right.

Walker, a four-time All-Star, showed glimpses last season, averaging 20 points and five assists after the All-Star Break.

Walker had a balky left knee all season and it got worse in the first-round playoff series vs. the Nets. He looked shot vs. in the Nets’ 4-1 ouster. Walker missed two games in the series.

“The last thing you want to do is be injured and not be there in the playoffs for your teammates. It’s tough, very tough. I’m a competitor and I love to play basketball,” Walker said after the playoff elimination.

Kemba Walker facing the Nets in the 2021 playoffs.

“I do anything I can to help teammates win a game, and because I couldn’t do that I’m really down. It’s a tough situation, but I have to look ahead. I want to continue to get healthy and get better. That’s my goal. I’m planning on a big summer and getting myself feeling good again. It’s been awhile since I’ve really had time off. This is an important time for me.”

The Knicks, whose offseason appears finished, have a very real possibility of maintaining their fourth-seed standing if Walker returns to All-Star form.

The Knicks swapped out Elfrid Payton for Walker at point guard and upgraded Evan Fournier for Reggie Bullock at shooting guard.

The Thunder initially acquired Walker from the Celtics in June for the purpose of flipping him.

But there ended up being no market for Walker given his contact and the Knicks got lucky.

When Walker was a free agent in 2019 and chose to leave Charlotte for Boston, he never considered the Knicks. His family, sources said at the time, felt it was too much distractions playing in his hometown with family and friends. Walker’s family moved to Charlotte when he became a Hornet to get out of the city, in fact.

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