Former Lakers Guard Unlikely to Make Rival’s Opening Night Roster

Ricardo Sandoval | Sep 4, 2024

May 6, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Dennis Schroder (17) speaks with guard Lonnie Walker IV (4) during the first half in game three of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonnie Walker IV recently signed an Exhibit 10-day contract. Walker was a free agent for a lengthy amount of time, and while he has found a new home, it may be short-lived. 

According to NBA insider Shams Charania, the Celtics may have other plans with Walker as the season approaches. 

"The Celtics are adding Lonnie Walker IV to their roster, league sources tell me," Charania wrote. "Those sources say the 25-year-old guard will be brought in on an Exhibit 10 contract, which allows Boston to give Walker a bonus if he is waived after training camp and plays for the team's G League affiliate in Maine. I'm told there's a chance Walker is waived after camp to keep Boston's 15th roster spot open going into the season."

The Celtics are fresh off an NBA title and will look for another this upcoming season; however, Walker will likely not be along for the ride. 

It's nothing that Walker did or didn't do, but it's largely a byproduct of the Celtics' situation. There are financial incentives not to carry Walker on the roster since he would cost the team millions more in tax penalties, even on a veteran's minimum.

On top of that, the Celtics may be looking for another big man to back up Kristaps Porzingis, who will miss the beginning of the 2024-25 season.

Walker is coming off a solid season with the Brooklyn Nets. In 58 games, he averaged 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 42.3 percent from the field and 38.4 percent from behind the 3-point line in 17.8 minutes per game. 

On the surface, Walker would be a solid addition for the Celtics as a nice depth piece for an already-loaded roster. Walker would need to dazzle in his stint with the Celtics in order to keep him around; barring that, he will look for a new team with less than two months before the start of the 2024-25 season. 

The former Miami Hurricane is currently with his fourth team in the league. The San Antonio Spurs selected Walker as a first-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. After four years in Texas, he moved to Los Angeles to join the Lakers for one season and was even the hero in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Golden State Warriors in 2023. 

After one year in L.A., he signed with the Nets last summer. Walker has averaged 9.8 points per game in 322 career games. 

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