Antoine Walker’s Market Correction
While watching the Mavericks pitiful playoff run, I found myself ranting one day about Antoine Walker’s style of play. I was ranting about how inflated his statistics are because of all of the terrible shots he takes, misses, rebounds and puts back up again (and again and again).
That’s when I hit upon my new nickname for him: Enron. Over priced, over valued, and his play is criminal.
Note: My wife says she made up the nickname, but that's not how I remember the conversation. I guess we came up with the nickname together. That's what team work is all about, right?I think this name works for him. Besides, he's never had a good nickname that I've heard. Employee Number Eight just doesn't do much for me although it does make a nice play on him just being a number and how misleading his numbers are at times.
It's been a bad year for Enron. He got traded from Boston to Dallas where he was moved from Power Forward to Small Forward to "Point Guard" to Center and basically had a poor season. Now, his name is all over every trade rumor simply because he has an expiring contract and not because people are interested in acquiring his talent as a playmaker.
Basically, the trade to Dallas confirmed to everyone what fans in Boston already knew. He is Enron and his stock is on the way down. The question is, how far is he going to fall? And then, can he make a rebound (lame pun intended)?
Everyone expects him to be traded again. It wouldn't be surprising to me if he is traded multiple times before the trade deadline next season. Some team is going to clear a lot of cap room at the end of next season when they erase Enron from their books.
But then, he will be a free agent and he can shed the Enron label (although I may call him that for the rest of his career just because it is so fun to say). Nobody is going to pay him like he is currently paid. Clearly. But what will his value really be to teams?
He has some value as a basketball player. Will he be ready to not only perform as a role player but to be paid like a role player? Will he still feel the need to shoot the ball all the time despite the fact that he can't shoot?
And really, we all know he can't shoot. Don't even try to convince me otherwise. Nothing exposes a poor shooter more than their free throw percentage and his is terrible.
The Dallas Morning News is already printing rumors about Walker being demoted next season. Of course, that article lacks credibility because they suggest that Walker may opt-out of his huge contract for next season. Oh Really? He may be a terrible shot, but I don't think he is that bad at math. Regardless of the DMN's credibility or lack there of, the rumors have already begun. Walker clearly doesn't have the talent to justify his contract and may not have the talent to secure a starting position on many playoff teams.
Who is going to have the guts to hire Enron after next season? Somebody is going to take a chance on the guy. They are going to take a chance that at a new lower salary and on a fresh team he can make a difference and finally harness his talent.
Honestly, I think he deserves another chance. This past season and this upcoming season is out of his control. His chances of succeeding are not good due to the fact that he will always be judged against his contract. But after this coming season, he can pick the right team to match his skills and he may make a believer out of folks again.
Ah, but here we are again with Enron and the speculation market. Kind of makes you shudder doesn't it? He deserves another chance after next season, but I sure hope it's not for a team that I like. I don't want to fall for Enron's smoke and mirrors show again.
I've seen his game and it is ugly. And it makes the team's game ugly too. I don't have anything against him personally. I just don't want him on my team. Is that so wrong?
Posted by on 06/01 at 08:01 PM