Kemba Walker would bring the Boston Celtics no closer to an NBA title

Reports have surfaced that Kemba Walker has been added to the Boston Celtics’ free agency wish list. Though the point guard is a marquee talent in the NBA, he would bring Beantown no closer to a championship than they currently are.

With free agency less than a week away, organizations are already gearing up for what should be a very exciting period. With the Boston Celtics holding onto max cap space, thanks in large to the Aron Baynes deal on draft night, they are financially in a great position to sign a top-tier talent this offseason.

With the highly likely possibility of Kyrie Irving jumping ship, the C’s will be in the market to find a replacement at the point guard position. Recently, reports have surfaced that Boston is “seriously interested” in pursuing All-Star Kemba Walker in free agency. Though the idea of replacing an All-Star talent with another All-Star talent at the game’s most important position may seem enticing, in this particular case, would it really make the Celtics that much better?

Kemba Walker is a fantastic player in this league. A three time All-Star with career averages of 19.8 PPG, 5.5 APG and 1.3 SPG the point guard has proven to be one of the best talents the game has to offer. However, with this, Walker has not yet proven himself to be a key cog on a potential championship contender.

During his eight year NBA career, the point guard has only managed to see postseason action on two separate occasions. While one could certainly make the argument that Walker’s supporting casts have not been the best over the years, it is peculiar to see someone of his talents only reaching the playoffs twice, both of which being first round exits.

Now, if the Celtics were in more of a “win now” mode, the concept of signing Walker would be a lot more understandable. However, with the likely departures of both Irving and Al Horford, Boston appears to be headed towards more of a developmental stage. With young bucks such a Jayson Tatum (21), Jaylen Brown (22), Romeo Langford (19) and Grant Williams (20) all likely to see meaningful minutes next season — specifically Tatum and Brown — it is apparent the organization is looking to develop their young core.

Signing the point guard would give the roster more talent, sure. But for what reason? Who would benefit from him being there?

With his signing, would the Celtics be a guaranteed 50-win team? Would they be considered a serious championship contender? Would they even be considered the best team in the East?

The answer to all these questions — no.

Frankly, signing Walker would make the team no better than they were last season. In fact, with the presumed loss of Horford this summer, even if Boston signed the 29-year-old, they’d probably end up being worse than they are now.

As stated numerous times, Kemba Walker is a really good player. He is a perennial All-Star who seems primed for even more selections as the years go by. But at this point in his career, he is best suited for a team looking to win now. As for the Boston Celtics, though they probably will still be a solid team in the East next season, a Walker signing would by no means push them “over the hump” and catapult them into contention.

Fret not Celtics fans, the franchise, though perhaps without Kyrie Irving and Al Horford, still look the part of a fun and competitive team to watch during the 2019-20 season. Though at this moment they may not be in a position to win a championship, a Kemba Walker signing would certainly not bring them any closer.