One-Time Celtics Guard Will Not Face Boston After Joining Eastern Rival

Ricardo Klein | Feb 19, 2025

Oct 12, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Lonnie Walker IV (12) drives to the basket against Philadelphia 76ers guard Lester Quinones (25) during the first half at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics are set to embark on their final 27 games of the season, which begins Thursday. They will face their division rival, the Phialdpehia 76ers.

The Celtics will look to continue their great stretch of basketball against their division rival, who have struggled mightily thus far this season.

The 76ers have not had the season they had hoped for. Because of that, they decided to seek help, resulting in them signing former Celtics guard Lonnie Walker IV.

Walker will make his return to the NBA after spending the first half of the season in Lithuania.

Although he is now back in the NBA, it is highly unlikely that he will make his NBA season debut on Thursday against his former team.

According to Jason Dumas of Sportscenter, Walker is on a plane from Paris to Philadelphia and is expected to sign his contract with the Sixers by Friday.

No Lonnie tomorrow vs. BOS if this is the case. https://t.co/Q3vbset0I5

— Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) February 19, 2025

Walker will join the 76ers and is set to sign a two-season, $3 million contract.

 Walker spent this past preseason with the Celtics before taking his talents overseas. He was unable to get a guaranteed contract over the summer but signed an Exhibit-10-day deal with the Celtics in August.

Shortly after the end of the 2024 preseason, the Celtics decided to waive him. 

His tenure overseas was solid as he, in 19 games with Zalgiris; Walker is averaging 13.6 points on .387/.331/.857 shooting splits, 3.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.9 steals.

Across 322 total regular season contests with the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, and most recently the Brooklyn Nets, Walker holds averages of 9.8 points on .422/.356/.795 shooting splits, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.5 steals a night.

Boston is one of the more stacked teams in the league, probably the most stacked, so it was an uphill battle for Walker to begin with, despite his talent.

Nonetheless, Walker deserved a chance in the NBA, but no team wanted a shot at him, at least up until Tuesday.

The Spurs selected Walker in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft. He was the No. 18 pick out of the University of Miami. 

The 76ers have had a tough season thus far. They are currently the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia sits with a 20-34 record and is 1.5 games back from the 10th seed, six games back from the seventh seed, and 9.5 games back from the sixth seed.

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