The Celtics have signed free agent Lonnie Walker IV to a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The move solidifies the team’s roster, and Walker is the team’s most important free agent this summer.
Free agent G Lonnie Walker IV has agreed to a one-year deal with the Boston Celtics, his agent George S. Langberg of GSL Sports Group told ESPN. Walker IV averaged 9.7 points and made 38% of his three-point shots in 58 games for Brooklyn last season. pic.twitter.com/uAvrtsIQkD
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) 29 August 2024
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the contract is an Exhibit 10 deal, meaning the contract is not guaranteed. Walker will join the team for training camp but could be released. If he joins their G-League affiliate in Maine, he is due a bonus and the contract could also be converted to a two-way deal.
Walker has higher potential than the average free agent usually available this late in the summer – the 18th pick in 2018 has averaged 9.8 points in his career. Playing on a minimum contract with the Brooklyn Nets, Walker averaged 9.7 points last season and made 38% of his threes. He played for the Spurs, Lakers and Nets during his six-year NBA career.
Walker is known for his great play with the Lakers in the 2023 postseason – he scored 15 points in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Warriors and made 6 of 9 field shots in the final period.
Earlier this summer, it seemed likely that the Celtics would leave the 15th roster spot open. At Summer League, Brad Stevens noted, “Last year, we kept 14 players for most of the year.”
Brad Stevens on a possible return of Oshae Brissett:
“We have to be clear about what we might need with the last roster spot. Oshae had a great year with us … in his situation there might be a desire to play more. I always want to respect that.” pic.twitter.com/LU5Dn5k1Zq
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) July 17, 2024
Since the contract is a training camp deal, that’s still a possibility. However, Stevens also indicated that the front office would look at who else might be available as a free agent in the coming months.
“We’ll see how the next few months play out in terms of people’s availability – Kristaps obviously has a long rehab ahead of him,” Stevens said in July. “We need to determine what our team needs most in that 15th spot.”
Walker’s signing likely means Oshae Brissett will not return to the Celtics next season. Brissett and Svi Mykhailiuk are the only members of the 2024 championship team who will not be on the roster next season. Mykhailiuk signed a 4-year, $15 million deal with the Utah Jazz earlier this month, while Brissett is still a free agent.
