NBA Rumors: Lonnie Walker IV, Celtics Agree to Contract After Lakers, Nets Stints

Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekFeatured Columnist IVAugust 29, 2024

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The reigning champions reportedly added some depth to their roster Wednesday.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Boston Celtics agreed to a one-year deal with guard Lonnie Walker IV, who has played for the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets during his career.

Shams Charania of The Athletic added the contract details:

Shams Charania @ShamsCharaniaContract details for Lonnie Walker IV with the Celtics, sources said: Exhibit 10. An E10 allows Celtics to give a bonus to Walker if he is waived after training camp and plays for the team’s G League affiliate in Maine.

The 25-year-old entered the NBA as a first-round draft pick of the Spurs in 2018, although he played just 17 games as a rookie and never fully lived up to expectations given his draft positioning.

He averaged 9.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game across four seasons with the team that drafted him.

Walker then played one season for the Lakers and averaged 11.7 points during the regular season before a stunning performance in the playoffs.

Los Angeles faced the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the 2023 playoffs and went into Game 4 hoping to seize a commanding 3-1 series lead.

Just when it looked like the Warriors would even the series, Walker poured in 15 points in the fourth quarter and drilled a go-ahead jump shot and two key free throws in the closing minutes.

It was one of the highlights of his career, although he faded into the obscurity of being a secondary contributor again last season for the Nets while averaging 9.7 points a night.

At his best, Walker is someone who can provide a scoring spark with the secondary unit. He is a career 35.6 percent shooter from three-point range and can take advantage of the spacing created by playing alongside stars.

Fortunately for Boston, it has plenty of those.

Look for Walker to carve a role out for himself as a shooter who can capitalize when defenses collapse on Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porziņģis, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White. If he can do that, he can help lead the Celtics on another deep playoff run as they eye another title.

Perhaps he’ll even mix in some memorable postseason performances like his Game 4 with the Lakers.