While the Philadelphia 76ers – as an organization – have nothing to play for in their last few games, many of their players are fighting for their livelihood. With injuries plaguing Philadelphia for the better part of the season, its rotation as of late has largely consisted of players on two-way contracts, 10-day deals, and those who typically register zero minutes. Amidst the chaos, the 76ers took a chance on a 26-year-old shooting guard and it’s starting to pan out.
Philadelphia signed Walker to a two-year/$3.7 million contract on February 21st, which is around the time that Joel Embiid played his last game of this season. The veteran guard is owed $780,932 this season and the 76ers possess a $2.9 million team option for the following year. Needless to say, these past few months have been essential for Walker not just to convince Philadelphia to pick up that team option but also to interest other teams as well.
Walker's initial struggles with the 76ers
Unfortunately for Walker, his first five games with the 76ers were an adjustment period, to say the least. In this span, he averaged 4.8 points per game on 28.6% shooting from the field and 26.1% shooting from beyond the arc. Walker settled for spot-up threes and didn’t display the aggression off the dribble that was advertised, which is likely one of the reasons Philadelphia acquired him in the first place.
However, as the 76ers’ injuries continued to pile up, Walker’s usage increased and he established a rhythm in the process. Following that disappointing five-game stretch, Walker finished with 10 or more points in his next three games – including a then-season high of 25 points in Philadelphia’s 126-122 win over the Utah Jazz on March 9th. Unthinkably, his recent success all came tumbling down just three days later.
Twenty seconds into the 76ers’ 118-105 loss to the Toronto Raptors on March 12th, Walker attempted to snare a rebound and incidentally collided with future 76er Colin Castleton, which resulted in Walker hitting his head on the hardwood. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game and went on to miss seven of Philadelphia’s eight games due to a concussion. He attempted to return in the 76ers' 128-120 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on March 21st but to no avail.
Walker's electric comeback
At last, Walker came back in the 76ers’ 118-105 loss to the Miami Heat on March 29th, and for the most part, he picked up where he left off. In his last five games, Walker averaged 17.0 points per game on 49.3% shooting from the field and 34.2% from distance alongside 4.4 assists per game and 3.6 rebounds per game. He has found a successful balance between attacking the rim and letting it fly from deep as well as improved decision-making off pick-and-rolls.
Walker posted a season-high of 29 points on 10-18 shooting from the field in Philadelphia’s 117-105 loss to Miami. With his recent success, Walker is surely giving the 76ers’ front office plenty to consider. Still, with Jared McCain set to return next season and Quentin Grimes possibly staying in Philadelphia for the long haul, the 76ers’ guard room will be quite crowded. Time will tell where Walker ends up, but he has proven he belongs in the NBA.