Mavericks part ways with veteran point guard Kemba Walker

Former All-Star point guard Kemba Walker’s NBA path has taken another tough turn after the Dallas Mavericks chose to part ways with him on Friday.

The decision comes a day before his veteran’s minimum salary would have become guaranteed for the rest of the season. Walker played nine games with the Mavericks, averaging 8.0 points and 2.21 assists.

The 32-year-old showed some flashes of scoring prowess, highlighted by his 32-point outing against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Dec. 17. However, the Mavericks chose to part ways due to McKinley Wright IV’s emergence into the rotation over him.

Dallas also wants to give rookie Jaden Hardy more playing time. The second-round pick excelled in the G-League averaging 28.8 points, and the Mavericks are interested in seeing what he offers.

Walker’s career has shifted toward an ongoing battle to stay on an NBA roster. The Detroit Pistons had waived him after a trade from the New York Knicks.

His struggles have been correlated to the nagging knee problems that have kept him off the court. His health issues haven’t allowed him to excel consistently and have only heightened his issues defensively.

Walker will enter free agency with a chance to contribute to another team. He has proven that he can be a solid scoring factor off the bench as well as be a valuable veteran presence in the locker room.

The four-time All-Star holds career averages of 19.3 points and 5.3 assists while shooting 41.8% from the floor and 36.0% from beyond the arc.