LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 21: Kemba Walker #8 of the Boston Celtics (Photo by Kim Klement – Pool/Getty Images)
Kemba Walker sounds a long way away from getting back on the floor.
Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics will once again be a factor in the Eastern Conference, and a quality veteran point guard like Kemba Walker running the show is clearly one of the main reasons Boston is so feared this season. Unfortunately for Brad Stevens and the Celtics, it might take a while for Walker to get on the court due to his knee injury. Celtics fans need to brace for some bad news, as it will be a while before Walker makes his 2020-21 debut.
According to Stevens, Walker is a “long way away” from getting back on the court, with early January being the next time we can expect any sort of update on his condition.
Kemba Walker is looking to make an All-Star team for the fifth straight time
While Walker was much less productive during his first season in Boston than Kyrie Irving was in terms of scoring, likely due to the emergence of Tatum and Jaylen Brown, he was still a reliable, steady option at point guard who provided enough scoring to get Boston through some challenging moments.
However, Walker didn’t look like himself in the playoffs, and this knee injury has to get the Celtics concerned. While Marcus Smart, Jeff Teague, and rookie Payton Pritchard might all take turns filling the void at point guard, Boston’s title hopes hinge on Walker getting back to full health as soon as possible.
Despite increased competition from the likes of Brooklyn and Milwaukee, Boston is still very much among the best teams in the Eastern Conference. They have the depth to withstand a month or two without Kemba, and they need to make sure their expensive, prized point guard is 100 percent healthy before he gets back on the court.