Unexpectedly, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that guard Lonnie Walker IV, a free agent, had struck a one-year contract with the Boston Celtics. The agreement is an Exhibit-10 contract, which is essentially a non-guaranteed one-year agreement.
The majority of fans were taken aback by Brad Stevens’ ability to sign this prominent free agent so late in the summer. To be honest, I thought Walker would sign a contract with a team when free agency began in June. With the exception of Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and Oshae Brissett, Boston’s roster for the upcoming campaign appears to be fairly similar to that of the team that won the championship in June.
Walker, who is only 25 years old, joined the NBA in 2018 when San Antonio selected him in the first round of the draft. What benefits may Lonnie Walker IV offer Boston if he is selected for the team? Scoring is the simplest solution. The 6’4 combo guard is well-known for his ability to score points at every three levels. During the previous season, he averaged 9.7 points on 42.3% shooting from the field in 58 games with the Nets. On 4.7 shots per game, he had a 38.4% long-range percentage.
Walker isn’t scared to shoot the ball when he gets it. It appears that signing with Boston, whose offense is among the best in the league and whose head coach Joe Mazzulla is all about making threes, is the right move. When Walker gets the ball beyond the arc, he doesn’t hesitate to make a play, and if the defender takes too long to shut him out, he’ll make them pay.
Walker is content to wait for the kick out while seated in the corner. He’ll need to make wide threes like he did against Orlando if he wants to play with players like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis.
Walker does not always strike the paint quickly when he attacks it. Instead, he makes excellent use of his body, and his ability to step back and create space or just depend on his athleticism allows him to obtain clean looks to finish his shots.
even throughout the Pacers match. Although he appears to be moving slowly, he is efficient in his work and reaches the line. His career free-throw percentage is 79.5%.
Walker isn’t exactly flying past his opponent, but his length and wingspan allow him to make shots without the kind of speed that would allow a defender to close the distance.
This is a low-risk, high-reward kind of signing on a minimum deal. Walker said on X that no team was interested in signing him when free agency opened.
In case you forgot the harm he caused us the previous season, here are several moments where he performed admirably against the league’s top team.
