Kemba Walker admits he was blindsided by getting benched last week, but the Knicks point guard is putting the team first while his own future hangs in the balance.
Speaking for the first time Monday since coach Tom Thibodeau took him out of the starting lineup and out of the rotation completely, Walker said he will continue to work and stay ready as he waits to get back on the court.
“It was tough, obviously, because as a competitor, I love to play basketball,” Walker said Monday after practice. “I love to be on the court. This is the first time this has happened to me in my career, pretty much on any level. But at the end of the day, I have respect for coach Thibs and the decision he made. It might not have been an easy one, but it was a choice he made. I have no choice but to live with it.
“I’ve always been a team guy first. It’s not about me, it’s about the team. So if he feels that’s what’s going to make the team better, then so be it. I’m just going to be here for my teammates. I’m here to help in any way, shape or form that I can.”
Walker, the Bronx native who signed a two-year, $18 million contract to join the Knicks this summer, was averaging 11.7 points and 3.1 assists through 18 games while shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from deep. The 31-year-old was noncommittal when asked if he would be OK with a role off the bench or whether he wants to be a starter somewhere else.
“I’m not sure. We’ll see,” Walker said. “I don’t know.”
Walker said whether he still wanted to be here in this role is something he would weigh.
“I’m pretty sure, yeah,” he said. “It just depends on how things go moving forward. Pretty much only the future knows.”
Thibodeau decided to bench Walker last Monday, though he had missed the game before that to rest on the second half of a back-to-back. In the four games with Alec Burks as the new starting point guard, the Knicks are 1-3 with a pair of close losses. Thibodeau said Monday he is considering changes to the lineup again for Tuesday’s matchup against the Spurs, but declined to specify who could be involved.
Walker said he had “no idea” if he expected to be back in the rotation soon.
“Adversity hits everyone at some point in your life and career. It’s all about how you go through it,” said Walker, who added that he feels good physically after battling knee issues before this season. “I’m not going to let anything break me or bring me down.”
In the meantime, Walker said he would continue to support his teammates as Thibodeau lauded his professionalism.
“I could be pissed. I could be upset,” Walker said. “But at the end of the day, there’s some young guys here who look up to me. I’m pretty sure they wanted to see how I reacted to the situation. Anybody on my team down the line can be in the same situation. Maybe I can be a role model in that aspect.
“I love being around my teammates. I’m going to cheer them on until I can’t anymore. That’s what it’s about.”
