By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Olimpia Milano is finalizing a deal with four-time NBA All-Star guard Kemba Walker according to Gazzetta dello Sport. If the transfer is completed, then Walker will play in Europe for the first time in his career.
Walker, 32, has been a free agent since the Dallas Mavericks waived him earlier in January. He appeared in nine games with the Mavericks‘ jersey and had a 32-point, seven-assist performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers in December.
Since he began his career in 2011 after being selected with the ninth overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets (then Bobcats), Walker recorded 781 appearances in the NBA. He averaged above 20.0 points in five straight seasons, from 2015 to 2020 as a player of Charlotte (until 2019) and the Boston Celtics.
Walker was named an All-Star from 2017 through 2020 and made the All-NBA Third Team in 2019.
Amid several injury issues, Milano has been struggling in EuroLeague, having fallen to the bottom of the standings at 6 – 13. After Friday’s (13/1) home loss to Zalgiris Kaunas, Milano coach Ettore Messina revealed that star guard Kevin Pangos will be out at least until March while former leading scorer Shavon Shields may return by the end of February.
“Now we have a clearer picture of what the next two and a half months will be like and we can make other assessments,” Messina mentioned, implying that Milano may move more aggressively in the free-agent market.