“Pretty close.’’
That’s how Kemba Walker termed it at last week’s introductory Garden press conference.
Walker, the Bronx native, was referring to signing with his hometown Knicks during 2019 free agency before choosing the Celtics.
According to an NBA source, Walker wanted to team with Kevin Durant when the Knicks had cap space for two max players.
The Walker-Durant Knicks pairing didn’t happen because KD ultimately decided to join Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn. It was a move that eventually led to the formation of a Brooklyn Big 3 with James Harden joining the band last winter.
A Garden tandem of Walker and Durant might have changed the Knicks’ landscape, but also would’ve prevented them from signing power forward Julius Randle, who emerged as a first-time All-Star last season and a second-team All-NBA selection.
The Post has learned the Knicks, amid their chase for Durant, were told emphatically Irving was not changing his mind about Brooklyn.
As a fallback, former Knicks president Steve Mills and current GM Scott Perry turned their sights on trying to get Walker to agree to play with KD. In fact, Durant’s camp asked Knicks management what other star it could get to pair with Durant.
When Durant and Irving ultimately signed with the Nets, the Knicks and Walker mutually agreed it was not a good idea to bring him to New York without another current All-Star.
The Knicks were coming off six straight losing seasons at the time. It is unclear whether Walker and Durant had direct conversations about the Knicks before free agency.
Walker reversed course and signed a four-year, $141 million deal with the Celtics. The Knicks decided to spread around their cap-space money and signed Randle, Bobby Portis, Elfrid Payton, Taj Gibson and Wayne Ellington.
Two seasons later, Walker, bought out by Oklahoma City after being traded there in June by the Celtics, is paired in New York with an All-Star in Randle.
If the 31-year-old Walker can play enough games, return to All-Star form and isn’t hampered by an arthritic left knee, it may all work out for the better.
At the press conference, Walker, who signed a two-year, $18 million deal, called the Knicks’ 2021 union “perfect timing.’’
The Post has reported in the past — and multiple sources have confirmed — that Kemba’s family was concerned about Walker playing for the Knicks earlier in his career because of the pressure on the hometown hero as savior.
“Yeah, I was pretty close actually,’’ Walker said Tuesday. “It just didn’t work out.’’
On a Ringer podcast more than a year ago, Walker said, “Before Boston actually came along, the Knicks were one of my top priorities. I was thinking that they were actually going to get another player, but it didn’t work out. That’s pretty much all I can say though.’’
The Knicks’ former regime was unfairly criticized when the top free agents of the 2019 class never agreed to meet formally. However, Walker was amenable to meeting with Mills and Perry if Durant joined them at the table.
Mills and Perry backed out of a sit-down with Kawhi Leonard because it would’ve taken place five days into free agency and brass knew the Knicks were big long shots. Mills and Perry felt the urge to move faster and inked Randle and Co. on July 2.
Durant has said the Knicks weren’t a strong consideration. Durant said last September, he “never planned on going to the Knicks’’ despite speculation. Joining Irving in Brooklyn was always his top option and called the Knicks brand “not as cool.’’
With Walker’s arrival in New York, the Knicks-Nets rivalry has even more intrigue. The first Knicks-Nets meeting is Nov. 30 in Brooklyn. The Nets don’t visit the Garden until Feb. 16.
Durant, Harden and Irving are in a good place — favorites to win the Eastern Conference this season. The Nets fell in the second round to the NBA champion Bucks in overtime of Game 7 during a series in which Irving suffered a freak ankle injury while Harden battled hamstring issues.
The Knicks are gambling on Walker and their enormous fan base is ecstatic to see how it all unfolds. Walker played just 43 regular-season games for Boston because of his knee, then crumbled in the playoffs, ironically, versus the Durant-Irving Nets.
Walker averaged just 12.7 points in the three playoff games, shooting 31.7 percent before sitting out the final two contests with knee pain. That led the Celtics’ new GM Brad Stevens to trade Walker on June 18 almost immediately upon his promotion from head coach.
“My guys, my home team, the Knicks, they believed in me,” Walker said Tuesday. “And I’m here now. Whatever happened in the past is irrelevant at this point.”