Lakers News: Lonnie Walker IV Discusses His Role with LA This Coming Season

Free agent signing Lonnie Walker IV says his first priority is playing top shelf defense for the Lakers this coming season.

The Lakers had just $6.5M to spend on non-veteran minimum signings in free agency. Rather than split the $6.5M between a pair of players, the Lakers went all in on the Spurs former first-round draft pick Lonnie Walker IV. San Antonio took the former Miami Hurricanes forward 18th overall. After four seasons with the Spurs, San Antonio rescinded their qualifying offer to allow Walker to become an unrestricted free agent.

During his free agent introduction last week, Walker said all the right things about his role with the team (quotes via The Athletic's Jovan Buha). 

”I’m here to do whatever I need to do to help the team win. For the most part, I’m coming here to play defense. Play the best that I can, play the hardest that I can and let the game speak for itself. Offensively, I know I can provide for a lot.”

Walker noted how he's put on some more weight this season to increase his defensive flexibility. 

“I’ve gained a little bit more weight. If I maybe have to guard the four, so be it. I’m ready for the physicality and I’ve been preparing myself to just guard those positions and be mentality ready for that, for that task.”

The Lakers needed quality defenders in free agency, and the jury is still out on whether Walker can become one under the Darvin Ham regime, but LA also needed shooting.

After shooting 40.4% from three in his first two seasons with the Spurs, Walker shot just 31.4% from three this past season and logged a troubling 40.7% field-goal percentage. 

Walker didn't shy away from discussing his shooting downturn.

“I mean, last year, you can look at the percentages. but I kid you not, leave me open, we’re going to see what’s happening. All right? … So, I’m ready to show everyone what I’m about.”

Considering he'll be sharing the court with LeBron James, he should get plenty of open looks. If he can't be an efficient shooter on wide-open looks, then this past season is probably a more accurate picture of what kind of shooter Walker is.

But first and foremost, he's in LA to play defense.