Boston Celtics’ Kemba Walker plays against the Charlotte Hornets during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game in Boston, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
The Boston Celtics said All-Star guard Kemba Walker received a stem cell injection in his left knee last month and won't be ready to start the NBA season in December.
The team said Walker received the stem cell injection in early October and was put on a 12-week strengthening program to prepare for the upcoming season. He is expected to return to on-court activities in early December. A further update on his game availability will be provided during the first week in January.
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The NBA season is set to kick off on Dec. 22. The Celtics recently announced that they will play two exhibition games, on Dec. 15 and Dec. 18.
Walker, 30, was the subject of trade rumors leading up to this month's NBA draft, but if he was on the block there were no takers.
He missed time last season due to his knee injury, but wound up returning for the bubble in Orlando and contributed to the Celtics' deep playoff run.
The Celtics also announced Tuesday that guard Romeo Langford is continuing to rehab following successful wrist surgery on Sept. 22. His return to play was projected to be four to five months after the procedure.
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The team said newly-signed free agent forward Tristan Thompson is also dealing with a minor hamstring strain suffered during an offseason workout prior to arriving in Boston, and his availability during the first week of training camp will be limited.
