Photo: Clutch Points

By: Patrick Whalen

Now that free agency has officially opened up The Parquet would officially like to welcome Kemba Walker to the Boston Celtics. Walker will be joining the Celtics on a 4 year $141 million max deal after spending the last 8 seasons with the Charlotte Bobcats/ Hornets.

Kemba is coming off his third straight all-star season where he set a career high averaging 25.6 points per game. This career season also earned Kemba his first All NBA Team selection. Along with the 25.6 ppg, Kemba also averaged 4.4 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Now there have been some concerns in the Boston sports media that Kemba’s shooting percentage was only 43.4% last year and his three-point percentage was only 35.6% but, averaged taking 20.5 shots per game and was the only consistent scoring threat on a Charlotte team that went 39-43 and missed the playoffs for the sixth time in the last 8 seasons.

Kemba’s talents will fit in well here in Boston but more importantly, his leadership ability will be an upgrade from the cancer that was Kyrie Irving. Irving’s leadership destroyed team chemistry for a title contender meanwhile Kemba was still an effective team leader from a franchise that never surrounded him with any good talent. Kemba’s stats will decrease next year, especially his shot volume, because he will finally be joining a franchise that has talent around him. Also, Kemba will be an upgrade in his clutch scoring. Just last season he shot 46.8% from the floor and 41.7% from three in the fourth quarter compared to Kyrie’s 45.2% shooting and 31.7% from three. Also, he hit this really nice step back in college.

Kemba will leave Charlotte as the all-time leader in points scored at 9,907 and second in assists and minutes played. But now the New York native and UConn grad be rocking Celtics green for the next 4 years. Now let’s look back at some of his best highlights from his time in Charlotte.