One-Time Celtics Guard Abandons EuroLeague Team to Sign with East Rival

Shooting guard Lonnie Walker IV, who had been a tough preseason cut for the Boston Celtics, has ultimately decided not to explore the market in the NBA this season after all, despite having a buyout option in his EuroLeague contract through Tuesday.

Per Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Walker's agent George S. Langberg of GSL Sports Group had indicated that the 6-foot-4 swingman intended to remain with Lithuanian squad BC Zalgiris throughout the season.

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

Stein noted that Walker, an athletic bench scorer in the NBA, does plan to re-join the league next season.

Per Shams Charania of ESPN, that is no longer the case. Walker is now joining the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-season, $3 million contract.

Lonnie Walker IV has agreed to a two-year, $3 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, his agent George S. Langberg of GSL Sports Group told ESPN. Walker has played for Zalgiris Kaunas in the Euroleague and had an NBA-out in his deal. He now enters his 7th NBA season. pic.twitter.com/NQW8xQa1mS
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 18, 2025

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The Miami product enjoyed a fairly successful NBA run across six seasons, so it came as something of a shock that the 26-year-old was unable to land on an NBA roster to start the 2024-25 season.

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Across 322 total regular season contests with the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers and most recently the Brooklyn Nets, Walker holds averages of 9.8 points on .422/.356/.795 shooting splits, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.5 steals a night.

He had a fairly reduced postseason role with the Spurs — for whom he played mop-up minutes in the 2019 playoffs as a rookie — and Lakers — for whom he eventually carved out key minutes during Los Angeles' charmed 2023 run to the Western Conference Finals as a No. 7 seed. Cumulatively, he averaged 4.5 points while slashing .471/.371/.750, 0.7 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 19 career NBA playoff games with L.A. and San Antonio.

In 19 games with Zalgiris, Walker is averaging 13.6 points on .387/.331/.857 shooting splits, 3.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.9 steals.

Lonnie Walker IV stats ⤵️

19 PTS | 5 REB | 3 AST | 22 EFF pic.twitter.com/FkQUY3lJmH
— BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) February 15, 2025

With Walker off the table, where will Boston go to replenish its bench roster? Or will the Celtics opt to trot out their current personnel for their title defense during this spring's playoffs?

Boston has already brought in one intriguing bench cog, 3-and-D former Chicago Bulls small forward Torrey Craig.

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