Boston Celtics: 3 point guards Cs should pursue in a Kemba Walker trade

Last night, the Boston Celtics lost 116-111 to the Sacramento Kings without their starting point guard, Kemba Walker.

You must be asking yourself why the Houdini has decided to take a peek over at the grass on the other side of the point guard fence, today, then.

Well, you see, Walker’s absence last night was the 13th DNP for the 30-year-old floor general this season. Knee issues kept him out of the first 11 games of the season. During that time, the team amassed an 8-3 record.

Now, look, I know Walker’s absence wasn’t why they won those early-season games. The schedule was pretty tame early on, with two games against the downtrodden Detroit Pistons and a few contests against the struggling Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, and then-struggling Toronto Raptors (temporarily misplaced in Tampa Bay, of course).

But since he has returned, he has struggled mightily. Adjusting to an injury is one thing, but when that same injury was an issue a full calendar year ago, there’s a larger problem looming in the background.

I’ve pointed to Walker’s contract (one ascending in value in the coming years) and his chronic knee issues as a reason why the undersized point guard on the wrong side of 30 could be a problematic deal if not traded.

Today, I have my eyes on these three point guards to pursue in a deal for Walker:

Boston Celtics point guard target #1: Damian Lillard

Damian Lillard is up to his same old trick this season, scoring just under 30 points per game while dishing out seven assists per contest. The Trailblazers currently sit in a playoff spot, but just two games separate them from the #12 team in the standings.

If things go south in Portland, it isn’t terribly likely the franchise staple would ask out…although this league tends to be full of surprises–I mean, who had Russell Westbrook being traded twice in consecutive offseasons?

Lillard is a dream upgrade, but one the Cs should monitor going forward.