The New York Knicks will pay Kemba Walker much less than his previous employers did.
The contract the veteran point guard and Knicks have agreed to sign will pay him around $8 million annually for two years, Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer and NBA TV's Ryan McDonough reported Wednesday, citing NBA sources. That figure will allow New York to fit Walker's deal under the salary cap for the 2021-22 season.
Walker and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday reportedly agreed to a buyout of his previous contract, which had two years and $74 million remaining. The buyout made Walker a free agent, but his stint on the open market appears destined to be a brief one, with a move to his hometown Knicks looming.
New York reportedly is bullish on Walker and believes he remains an All-Star talent at 31 years old, despite his recent knee problems. Should Walker return to his previous heights and match those expectations, his Knicks contract will represent one of the NBA's biggest steals.
