Former Lakers Guard Expected to Stay Overseas

The former Lakers guard is expected to finish out the season overseas.

Oct 30, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook (0) celebrates with guard Lonnie Walker IV (4) after a 3 point basket in the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonnie Walker IV is expected to finish out the 2024-25 season overseas. 

NBA insider Marc Stein shared the news via X.

"Lonnie Walker IV will finish this season with Lithuania's BC Žalgiris, according to his agent George S. Langberg of GSL Sports Group. 

Walker, 26, plans to return to the NBA next season. He had an NBA buyout in his EuroLeague deal through Feb. 18."

Lonnie Walker IV will finish this season with Lithuania's BC Žalgiris, according to his agent George S. Langberg of GSL Sports Group.

Walker, 26, plans to return to the NBA next season. He had an NBA buyout in his EuroLeague deal through Feb. 18.

More: https://t.co/jkBEbr3Onp pic.twitter.com/bLgOJofGVg

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 18, 2025

Walker will finish the season in Lithuania with Zalgiris Kaunas. 

The 26-year-old signed a deal with Zalgiris Kaunas in late October after the Boston Celtics waived him at the end of the preseason. 

No NBA team jumped at the opportunity to sign the former first-round pick, so he packed his bags and headed overseas. His contract stated that he had an NBA buyout in his EuroLeague deal through Feb. 18. 

While Walker will finish the season overseas, he expects to return to the NBA next season, and there should be a ton of suitors for him. 

Multiple reports in recent months have suggested that Walker was drawing interest from NBA teams, including a handful of playoff-caliber ones. 

However, it is unclear if that will remain the case as we approach the summer months. 

Although it has been a roller coaster ride for the Pennsylvania native, he is still doing quite solid, averaging  13.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in around 22 minutes per game.

Walker has played in 322 career regular season NBA games. In that span, he spent time with the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, and Brooklyn Nets from 2018-24. 

Last season, he averaged 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 17.4 minutes per game across 58 appearances with the Nets, while shooting 42.3 percent from the field and 38.4 percent from three.

In his lone season as a Laker during the 2022-23 season, he averaged 11.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists while shooting 44.8 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from three in 56 games. 

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. 

Walker was a five-star recruit coming out of Reading High School in Pennsylvania. 

He was named a McDonald's All-American and Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball in 2017. 

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