The Detroit Pistons have waived veteran guard Kemba Walker, the team announced Monday.
The two sides initially agreed to a buyout in June, after the Pistons acquired Walker in a a salary dump deal with the New York Knicks that also brought 13th overall draft pick Jalen Duren to the Pistons. Walker revealed in an interview with the Boston Globe in early October, he hasn’t received interest from other NBA teams. It lessened the incentive for him to leave money on the table in a buyout, so the Pistons will instead eat his entire $9.2 million salary and Walker will be free to sign with another team.
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“I’ve got something in the tank, for sure,” he said. “I feel great. I’m going to be honest. I’m going to have my opportunity. I’m not in any rush right now. I’m just grinding and trying to feel as good as I can. And right now, I feel great. I feel as good as I’ve felt in a long time. I’m just waiting for the opportunity.”
Walker joins DeAndre Jordan ($7.8 million), Dewayne Dedmon ($2.9 million) and Zhaire Smith ($1.1 million) as players general manager Troy Weaver and the Pistons are paying not to play for them this season, accounting for $21 million of the league’s $123.7 million salary cap, or 17%.
Walker, 32, is a four-time All-Star and averaged 19.3 points with the Boston Celtics during the 2020-21 season. He has been limited by knee issues and only appeared in 43 games with the Celtics that season; he was traded to Oklahoma City in June 2021 and agreed to a contract buyout. He played 37 games with the Knicks last season in the first year of a two-year contract, and averaged career lows in points (11.6), assists (3.5) and minutes (25.6) per game last year.
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By waiving Walker, the Pistons are now within the 15-player roster limit that teams are required to get to before the regular season opens Tuesday. Detroit has a lot of young depth at Walker’s position of point guard, and it was tough to see a path for Walker to receive playing time with Cade Cunningham, Killian Hayes and fifth overall pick Jaden Ivey slated to receive a bulk of the backcourt minutes.
The Pistons tip off their regular season Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic.