Celtics Waive Several Players but Yet to Act on Lonnie Walker IV

Bobby Krivitsky | Oct 17, 2024

Oct 13, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Lonnie Walker IV (12) controls the ball while Toronto Raptors guard Davion Mitchell (45) defends during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images / Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Wednesday, the Celtics waived Dmytro Skapintsev, a 26-year-old center from Ukraine, who averaged 2.7 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per contest in 9.4 minutes while shooting 60 percent from the field in three preseason tilts with the reigning NBA champions.

Boston also signed local talent Hason Ward to an Exhibit 10 deal.

The St. Thomas, Barbados native starred at Springfield Central High School in Springfield, MA. He played collegiately at Virginia Commonwealth before transferring to Iowa State.

Ward generated 4.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and nearly 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 64.2 percent from the field in his two years with the Cyclones, who he helped lead to the Sweet 16 last season.

Per the NBA's transaction wire, the Celtics waived him a day later. That reflects that signing him was a procedural move aimed at adding Ward to their G League team. Skapintsev will most likely join him there.

The same goes for Jay Scrubb and Ron Harper Jr., who Boston also waived on Thursday.

While Harper appeared in three exhibition games with the Celtics, Scrubb, who recently rejoined the team on an Exhibit 10 deal upon returning to 100 percent health after tearing his right ACL a year ago, did not.

Boston is yet to determine Lonnie Walker IV's future with the franchise.

Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

However, since converting his Exhibit 10 deal into a standard contract to fill the team's final roster spot would result in an estimated $10 million tax hit, it's hard to justify making that move.

The Celtics have until 5 p.m. ET on Saturday to decide on Walker's future with the organization. He is their lone player left on an Exhibit 10 deal.

If they don't convert his contract, they could still promote him at times to the parent club. However, he would not be able to do so as much as those on two-way deals. Individuals signed to the latter can play in a maximum of 50 NBA games in a season.

Walker did not play in Boston's preseason finale, a 119-118 loss to the Raptors north of the border Tuesday.

He averaged 7.3 points and 2.5 assists in 16.4 minutes across four exhibition games.