But Walker kept saying he was available if the NBA wanted him in Los Angeles as an injury replacement. ESPN’s Bobby Marks noted that the Mavericks saved nearly 700,000 by waiving. It’s common practice for players to fly to the Caribbean for at least a long weekend. On Friday, the Mavericks waived Kemba Walker, who scored 32 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 17. The All-Star break is the one real vacation NBA players get between October and at least April. That changes how defenders must deal with him in the pick-and-roll they can no longer afford to go under picks because that leaves Walker wide open for the 3-ball. In the three seasons since then, he has never shot worse than 37 percent, on the high end of that scale. He was a poor 3-point shooter as recently as the 2014-15 season, shooting 30 percent from long range. The single most dramatic improvement has been Walker’s 3-point percentage. Then-Hornets assistant coach Mark Price, another little guy who excelled as an NBA point guard, warned Walker early in his career that if he didn’t develop offensive variety –a midrange game, a better 3-point shot – he wouldn’t survive physically always launching himself at the rim against those real giants. Those stats – 22.9 points, 5.8 assists, 38 percent from 3-point range – reflect how hard Walker has worked each summer to improve. His statistics are comparable to last season, when the East coaches voted him into the All-Star Game as a first-time reserve. That was more a reflection of the Hornets’ losing record than Walker’s value. Three All-Stars from the Eastern Conference – John Wall, Kevin Love and Porzingis – had to drop out because of injury before Walker got the invitation.

Then his phone blew up with congratulatory text messages: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had named him a replacement All-Star, filling in for injured New York Knick Kristaps Porzingis. Once the trade deadline passed at noon PST, Walker settled in for a pregame nap. 8 game day in Portland, Ore., was an odd one for Walker. It was rattling for Walker to hear trade rumors that included his name, so much so that Jordan called him to reassure him the franchise would only consider dealing him if it was bowled over by an offer that never materialized by the Feb.

Walker has set down roots in Charlotte he is currently having a home built here.

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