Kemba Walker Makes Mavs Debut in Blowout Loss vs. Bulls
The Dallas Mavericks have continued to canvass their options to fill the void of a reliable third ball handler that they've faced since Jalen Brunson's free agency departure. The latest veteran option is Kemba Walker, who recently signed a one-year, non-guaranteed contract.
With key players like Luka Doncic, Josh Green, and Maxi Kleber sidelined for Saturday's 144-115 loss to the Chicago Bulls, the Mavs utilized it as an opportunity to give minutes to players who typically are out of the rotation. Walker was among the 12 players to receive minutes in what was his debut since signing with the Mavs.
Against the Bulls, Walker finished with eight points, two rebounds, and five assists in 20 minutes of action. He came off the bench and served as the primary initiator of the half-court offense alongside Jaden Hardy.
“I thought Kemba did a good job of getting us organized on the offensive, and defensively trying to get guys organized,” Kidd said of Walker's debut. “When you look, there was only two guys that were positive, and he was one of them – him and Reggie. So in a game like that, that’s almost impossible to do.”
Among Walker's top plays involved him doing something the Mavs didn't receive from a player with Campazzo's skill-set: Walker snaked a ball screen to get into the gap and knocked down a pull-up jumper.
Another key play involved him avoiding the defense in transition to setup a a reverse layup. It was a good indication of where he's at physically in the short-term after sitting out for an extended period.
With Hardy gaining NBA experience, anything Walker could do to take pressure off him and make the game come easier was appreciated. Walker managed to setup Hardy on a possession that helped to display his potential, enabling a closeout attack on a drive-and-kick.
Going forward, Walker provides the Mavs with another reliable option that can play off-ball next to Doncic, along with being a threat to score in isolation, ball screens, and off-ball actions. It's an intriguing combination of skills to have in a trusted veteran given the limitations of the roster.
Christian Wood, who played 13 games with Walker during their time with the Hornets together, was happy to see him back in action. While they didn't play together for a long time, Wood was able to see the daily habits that went into Walker being a star.
"I'm just happy to see him back... I had an opportunity to play with Kemba in Charlotte — his attitude, demeanor, and how he puts in work never changes," Wood said of Walker.
It remains to be seen how the Mavs will approach Walker's role going forward. It was considered that he is replacing the reserve guard role that Facundo Campazzo previously held, which featured being out of the rotation, but staying ready for when he's needed.
With Walker just making his debut, he has yet to have a chance to share the floor with Doncic. Walker isn't free of defensive limitations, but his skill-set offensively projects as a strong complement to Doncic. Could they share the floor together in the short-term?
"We'll get a chance to see those two play together. ... We have a lot of basketball left here to play," Kidd said of the idea of pairing Doncic and Walker together more. "When Luka comes back, hopefully, we can get those two on the floor together."
The main concern for Walker remains how his knee will hold up over an extended period. It remains unlikely that he will see a drastic shift in his role in the near future, but his involvement remains something to monitor.
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