Kemba Walker has never considered the New York Knicks. Before ending up at the Boston Celtics, we all believed that the Knicks had taken Kemba Walker’s engagement seriously. The Knicks needed a star and Walker seemed ideal, also because he would play in his hometown. Kemba Walker had at least three important suitors: The Knicks, the Lakers and the Mavericks.
But, the Knicks were never seriously considered because he didn’t like the distractions of playing in Walker’s hometown. The reason he wanted to leave the Hornets was to win, not because he didn’t like the city of Charlotte. New York didn’t have (and doesn’t have) a winning structure and Walker’s entire focus was on trying to win. Distractions are another reason: some players avoid signing in their city, as requests for tickets from friends and family can be overwhelming.
In the end, Walker had a great situation: a Celtics team with the ability to claim that he really needed a player with Walker’s talent and leadership.
