Celtics GM Danny Ainge: Kemba Walker was 'Definitely Not Himself' in Bubble

Celtics GM Danny Ainge told reporters that star guard Kemba Walker was "definitely not himself" in the NBA bubble. 

"I could see, even when he was here before the bubble started, which is why he was shut down a little bit and doing strength training and trying to prepare himself for the playoff run and the intensity of the playoff run, but he was definitely not himself,” Ainge said Thursday in his end-of-season conference call. 

“In fairness to Kemba, he doesn’t want to say that. He doesn’t say that to our coaches, he doesn’t say that to you, the media, he doesn’t say that to me. I haven’t heard one excuse from him. But watching the games, even the games we won, even the games where he played well, I could tell he wasn’t the same physically as he was in October, November, December.”

The Miami Heat eliminated the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals last Sunday, as Miami's stars overpowered Boston's core.

As Ainge alluded, Walker has dealt with knee injuries throughout his career. He had three minor arthroscopic procedures on his left knee when he was still with the Hornets and additionally had his knee drained earlier this year when it flared up after the All-Star game.

His knee injury plagued him during the final two months of the regular season prior to the league shutdown and appeared to return in practice in June. 

Ainge said Thursday he is optimistic Walker will return fully healthy next season. 

“We’re going to try to get that Kemba back," Ainge said. "And I know Kemba wants to be back 100%, and playing his best basketball. Even not his best he still averaged 19 or 20 points per game in the playoffs, he still is a really good player. But he’s not what he was.”

Walker averaged 20.4 points and 4.8 assists per game during the 2019-20 NBA regular season, his lowest point total since the 2014-15 season and lowest assist total since his rookie season in 2011-12. 

The UConn product averaged 19.6 points per game in the postseason.

Walker signed a four-year, $140 million contract with the Celtics last offseason.