With the trade deadline and the All-Star break behind us, teams are putting their final touches on their rosters. The Boston Celtics signed Torrey Craig to a guaranteed contract but still have a roster spot open.
One of the players some fans hoped the Celtics would sign for that spot was Lonnie Walker IV. The 26-year-old shooting guard had spent the training camp and preseason with Boston and performed well. However, before the start of the NBA regular season, he signed with the Euroleague side BC Žalgiris, much to the surprise of basketball fans.
Walker had a buyout clause in his Euroleague contract through February 18. The deadline has passed and NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the talented scorer will finish the season in Europe.
Lonnie Walker IV will finish this season with Lithuania's BC Žalgiris, according to his agent George S. Langberg of GSL Sports Group.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 18, 2025
Walker, 26, plans to return to the NBA next season. He had an NBA buyout in his EuroLeague deal through Feb. 18.
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Lonnie Walker IV Not Coming to the NBA This Season
This is a surprising development. Walker was in a playoff rotation as recently as 2023. He was a part of the Lakers team that made the conference finals.
Walker then had a solid run with the Brooklyn Nets last season, averaging 9.7 points per game on 42.3 percent shooting from the field and 38.4 percent from three-point range. The fact that he didn't get a minimum contract in the NBA for his age-26 season was unexpected.
Walker will now try to lead Žalgiris to Euroleague glory. He is averaging 13.6 points per game in 22 minutes of action but his team is out of the playoff picture with a 12-14 record.
Nonetheless, how the Celtics will use their final roster spot remains to be seen. They could use it to convert Drew Peterson and JD Davison to a standard contract or target another veteran free agent. Fans who wanted that vet to be Lonnie Walker IV will have to wait a little longer to see him back in the NBA.
Update: After the publication of this story, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Philadelphia 76ers were signing Lonnie Walker to a two-year, $3 million deal.