NBA Notebook: Lonnie Walker IV will try to save his NBA career with Celtics

Lonnie Walker IV knew something went wrong when multiple weeks passed without hearing about any interest from NBA teams. The usual flurry of deals passed in July, when he signed his first free-agent contract with the Lakers in 2022, then moved on the same week one year later to Brooklyn. He doesn't know why it didn't happen in 2024. Nearly every roster spot in the league filled up without any call about a guaranteed spot on a team. Then, one month ago, Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics reached out with a different idea. 

"Brad Stevens had seen something in me and just gave me the opportunity to have the (Exhibit 10 contract) and earn my spot," Walker IV told Boston Sports Journal on Friday. " ... the conversation was like, 'hey, you're on an E10, you know how things may play out as far as money and cap space or whatever it might be.' So if things don't go as planned, if there's a possibility of me playing in Maine. It's something I gotta do. Things are looking slim. I wasn't given the opportunity to look at multiple teams and get picked up or get a guaranteed contract. So ... you gotta take it in the chin. It's not always gonna be your way. Sometimes adversity is gonna hit you in the face and you gotta find a way to bounce back and continue to fight. I'm very optimistic, like I said, I'm 25 years old, this is year seven for me ... I haven't even reached my prime yet. So I think the best is yet to come." 

Justin Kellman received one of the first calls after Walker IV told his mother Tamica about the agreement. They played high school basketball together in Reading, Pennsylvania and have kept in contact consistently since along with several friends from that team. Kellman, one year older than Walker IV, and his teammates saw the younger guard's doggedness, potential and need to take over the team and let him do so on a path that led him to a one-and-done year at Miami and becoming the Spurs' first round pick in 2018. In recent weeks, Kellman heard a different level of commitment from Walker IV, from the time he leaves the facility to the food he's eating and his mindset. Walker IV knows he's competing to save his NBA career. And he's accepting it. 

Nine years ago, his professional path developed when former Miami Hurricanes assistant and current Temple head coach Adam Fisher identified the wiry and athletic Walker IV as the best guard in Pennsylvania and his first target. Head coach Jim Larrañaga had elevated Fisher from Miami's basketball operations into becoming an assistant coach and recruiter. They hit a wall almost immediately. Walker IV's father only wanted to hear from the head coach. Villanova, Syracuse, Kentucky and Arizona would emerge in the race for Walker IV, but Larrañaga wouldn't change their recruitment structure. 

Eventually, the Walkers agreed to let Fisher take the lead. Walker IV and Fisher talked on the phone and the latter hung up impressed. Walker IV didn't respond with the usual uh-huhs and short responses. They discussed National Geographic and the guard's many other off-court interests. Walker IV once told his high school coach Rick Perez that he wanted to be a surgeon. 

Larrañaga heard early that Miami probably wouldn't land Walker IV, but with two of his former AAU teammates on the roster and with FIsher and Miami building an expanding relationship with Walker IV's family, he later committed. Larrañaga thought Walker IV would go one-and-done. Then, injury struck. 

"The first week he was here ... someone threw him a really bad pass and he jumped up to catch it and he did catch it, but he came down on the one knee and ended up having to have his meniscus repaired and that took him from mid-July probably until mid-October to get it repaired and rehabbed," Larrañaga told BSJ. "And then it was a slow process of getting him back in shape. So he didn't start in November and December, he came in off the bench. He was like our seventh man did a nice job, but clearly wasn't the Lonnie Walker, first-round draft pick (yet) ... he went from being our seventh man to being our leading scorer, making a lot of key shots, including four game-winners. His defense improved, and he's a very likable young man. He's upbeat, very, very positive and very team-oriented. So it was a real joy to coach him."

Larrañaga allowed Walker IV and the rest of the Hurricanes to meet with his friend and famous sports psychologist Dr. Bob Rotella, who asked how Walker IV would feel if he didn't start coming back from injury. He learned to accept it. That is the hardest part of the game, Walker IV told BSJ, challenging yourself, never growing bored with routines and fighting when you feel like you have nothing left. The game is 90% mental, Walker IV believes. He told Larrañaga he'd play the best he could in any role the coach decided. Still, Walker IV wondered about his draft stock throughout that year, something Fisher reminded him regularly wouldn't be settled until later. Nobody gets drafted in January, Fisher said. There's no draft in February. 

Teammate and future NBA star Bruce Brown went down with a foot injury on Jan. 27, and from that point on Walker IV became the team's offensive hub as a starter, averaging 12.7 points per game through Miami's first-round loss to eventual Final Four Cinderella Loyola Chicago. While his off-ball defense and rebounding needed improvement, Walker IV and Larrañaga heard enough positive reviews to convince the guard to turn pro. Doc Rivers and the Clippers told Larrañaga they had him ranked in the lottery. Then, the Clippers, Hornets and Nuggets passed on him despite initial interest before the Spurs took Walker IV No. 18 overall and sent him to the G-League. Health concerns dropped his stock on draft night after his medical evaluation. 

The year prior, San Antonio selected an older guard with a similar vision for long-term development. Derrick White played for the Austin Spurs as a rookie, appearing in 28 games while expanding his scoring and facilitating game. Walker IV would do the same, which White prepared him for by telling him that nine times out of 10, you're going to play in the G-League as a rookie with the Spurs. It's normal. Walker IV shot 35.8% from three with Austin and scored 16.6 PPG, earning more opportunities as the Spurs rebuilt through the following years. More injuries emerged though, ankle, knee, foot, toe and leg ailments, all while his shot grew inconsistent. After 2022, the Spurs moved on without extending him. Reuniting with White, whose wedding he attended, and Jrue Holiday, who Walker IV grew close with in LA  through workouts after he joined the Lakers, appealed to him. 

"I've been looking for a home since I left San Antonio," Walker IV told BSJ. "I've been doing a whole bunch of one year deals. One year is with LA, one year with the Nets, so now I'm on the E10, just finding a organization that really wants me to be a part of the team and continuously grow and be a part of the community and the fan base as well, and that's my overall be all is to finally find a team that I'm with for a long term deal, whatever it might be and just be embraced. I think since I've been in the league, I've always dealt with a lot of inconsistent minutes, based on probably injuries or whatever it might have been, that's out of my control ... I maybe just want some consistency in that area of just understanding my role and my place within the team."

Almost 350 miles west of Boston, those who grew up with Walker IV applaud him for making it this far. He faced eviction growing up and in 2020 revealed on social media that he faced sexual abuse as a child and mental health challenges in the years since. Kellman didn't learn the depth of Walker IV's struggles until later, but he knew basketball became his escape. While in Reading, Walker IV would play basketball or travel away to play with AAU or in tournaments with his high school team. Perez, his coach, signed them up for events he knew Walker IV didn't need competitively. He wanted them to have quality time. 

Perez opened his house to Walker IV whenever he wanted time away from home or his growing fame locally. He faced questions about whether he'd stay at his public school from the community, but never considered leaving Reading High as he tried to be an inspiration as one of the city's faces. Fisher and Walker IV talked about how he wanted to give back to his hometown. Other players in his position, Kellman said, fell to temptations or negativity in Reading. It's a city where Kellman witnessed hoop dreams die. 

Walker IV found escapes. In his 2020 post, he explained that his formerly long hairstyle, which he cut during the pandemic, became a way to shield himself and control something in his life. He loved the beach, yoga and church. Walker IV called Kellman often and asked if he wanted to walk to pick up Chinese food, always a lover of food, especially bacon, despite his skinny frame. On the way to eat they would discuss life. During tense moments as a team, they closed the locker room door and went at it before moving on. In more emotional moments, they cried together as a team. 

Perez remembered many of those cries in his office, and noted that he only had to discipline Walker IV once through high school, after which he lined up to run and beat the rest of the team in the punishment. Perez never needed to remind Walker IV when he lapsed on the court. He already knew, and Perez saw him respond each time. In a district playoff game following his ejection the previous night for being in a tussle, Walker IV led Reading to score over 100 points with his multiple dunks. You better not be in the way next time, Perez said. 

"Lonnie had a rough home life," he said. "It wasn't because his parents, his dad literally worked four jobs and did anything to keep the bills paid ... they faced a lot of different challenges. So he would come to practice and that was his place of refuge. You wouldn't have known when he put the jersey on what he was going through." 

Walker IV also found control on the court. Perez remembered his calmness, newspaper photos showing Walker IV shushing the sideline and letting Perez know when he had things handled. Whether he strung together multiple threes and dunks, or gave the ball away several times in a row, his expression rarely changed. In showcase settings, like the Jordan Jumpman Classic, Walker IV allowed Trae Young to run the show while he impacted the game with his off-ball skills, running on the break, spacing the corner or cutting. In the locker room, Perez remembered three things Walker IV brought: music, jokes and freestyles. 

The difference in Walker IV, roughly one decade later, goes all the way to his facial expressions when he discusses the situation he's in with the Celtics. Walker IV changed so much this summer, Kellman noticed, that he put Friday's preseason game against the Nuggets in his calendar. He's intrigued to see how it translates on the floor and thinks this will become the guard's best season. The training camp contract lit a fire under Walker IV, he said, and came at the perfect time. He stopped short of calling it necessary, but Kellman believed it opened Walker IV's eyes to where he stands in his career. 

It's difficult to believe for many on the outside. Larrañaga didn't agree Walker IV should need to try out for Boston after averaging 9.7 PPG and shooting 38.4% from three in Brooklyn. He only turns 26 in December and at 6-4, with a wingspan closer to 6-10, and ball-handling skills, Walker IV looks like the ideal 3-and-D wing. That's what intrigued the Celtics, even with a minimum contract potentially costing them $10-million in luxury tax. They're waiting to see the consistency, habits and how he'll fit in on a team that embraced accepting their roles, playing together and doing all the little things on the way to a championship. 

Walker IV doesn't fully understand why his path to a roster spot, never mind a ring, might take him 100 miles north of Boston first. But he's accepting it. 

"I've been here just grinding for the most part," Walker IV said. "Everyone knows I'm a microwave scorer. I can get to the rim, I can shoot the three ball, but in addition to that, just playing within the flow of the game. When you have such an offensive forefront, the little things come easy. I'm gonna get a ton of open threes, a whole bunch of back door cuts because if I'm on the floor with JT or JB. When I do earn that spot or, God willing, I get that spot, just doing the little things -- cuts, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, sprints to the corners -- the little details that make a good team a great team. Guys are already coming off a championship run, so it's all about how can I be great at the little things and continue to earn minutes and earn my spot and earn respect within the team and the organization." 

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week...

Boston: Kristaps Porziņģis told ESPN that he expects to return sometime in December from his June surgery, and remains on such a positive track that he could play prior. Brad Stevens said the Celtics have been surprised by his progress after he advanced to light contact drills last week. He's also running and shooting regularly. Luke Kornet (wrist) and Xavier Tillman Sr. (knee) also underwent offseason procedures and returned to the floor in the week prior to camp. Jayson Tatum changed his shooting form, Jaylen Brown added more muscle and Sam Hauser worked on speeding his shot up while beginning to mentor rookie Baylor Scheierman. Scheierman added 10-15 pounds after Summer League. Lonnie Walker IV acknowledged that he might have to spend some time with the Maine Celtics if he doesn't make Boston's roster after training camp. Brown launched his shoe brand -- 741.

Brooklyn: Sean Marks confirmed Ben Simmons (back) is ready for training camp while Bojan Bogdanović is not after arriving from the Knicks in the Mikal Bridges trade. Bogdanović underwent surgery on his wrist and ankle injuries that ended his stint with the Knicks following a trade from Detroit last season. Bogdanović, 35, is playing on the final year of his contract making $19 million. Head coach Jordi Fernandez previewed his first season as Nets head coach alongside Marks, highlighting Cam Thomas' efficiency as a point of improvement for the team as it begins its rebuild. 

“He’s one of the best playmakers to be able to do that, from rebounding to pushing to throwing the ball ahead,” Fernández said of Simmons, who's entering the final year of his deal. “His paint touches are unbelievable. He’s big, built like a truck, can get into the paint and spray [the ball], get to the rim.”

Charlotte: Miles Bridges had multiple suitors in free agency, including the Clippers and Cavaliers, and preferred to stay with the Hornets given their new start under head coach Charles Lee. Bridges got away from North Carolina with his trainer in Hawaii and is looking forward to a season free from injuries and other factors that have limited the Hornets in recent seasons, including his domestic violence charges that left him in free agency for the entire 2022-23 season. Gordon Hayward, who retired this summer, said he'll support his former Charlotte franchise as his family continues to reside in the city. 

"Hopefully the can start to pick up that franchise and get it going in the right direction," he said. "I loved my time in Charlotte. We still live there now. That's the place that we call home. I'm rooting for that franchise."

Cleveland: Donovan Mitchell said at Cavs media day that Cleveland can contend for a championship if healthy this season, a chance he affirmed by extending long-term with the team this summer. Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Mitchell all missed time last year before Jarrett Allen missed part of the first round and the entire second round of the playoffs. Ty Jerome (ankle), who missed all but two games during his first year in Cleveland, is ready for the start of training camp. New head coach Kenny Atkinson discussed pushing Mobley to be more aggressive in their new-look offense. 

“Rebound and push. We definitely want to see more of that because the skill level is undeniable," Atkinson said. "The passing is elite, but we do want to get him more downhill. Can he get a little more aggressive to the rim when he’s pushing it?”

Denver: Open the preseason on Friday in Abu Dhabi against the Celtics (12 p.m. EST) before they play again on Sunday morning. Russell Westbrook, who signed with the team this summer, said his role will be pushing Jamal Murray, who said he won't face any health restrictions after dealing with injuries during the playoffs and Olympics. Peyton Watson (hamstring discomfort) missed Denver's first practice. 

Head coach Michael Malone said he and GM Calvin Booth are aligned and communicating, while challenging each other, following a report of a rift between them. Booth said he hopes to keep Aaron Gordon in Denver for a long time after he became eligible for a four-year, $149.5 million extension over the summer. Murray signed for four-years, $208 million earlier this month. 

Detroit: Pistons owner Tom Gores became a minority owner of the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers, buying a 27% stake in the team. Former Celtic Lamar Stevens signed a training camp deal with Detroit this week. He did the same with Boston last year before making the team. The Celtics traded him along with second round picks for Xavier Tillman Sr. in February. Stevens averaged 7.2 PPG and 3.3 RPG between his two teams, shooting 45% (30.4% 3PT).

Golden State: Steve Kerr and Mike Dunleavy enter training camp believing the Warriors have been forgotten about after a quiet offseason highlighted by Klay Thompson's departure. Kerr said 12-13 players could factor into Golden State's rotation, with Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Brandin Podziemski starting alongside Steph Curry and Draymond Green in the past. De'Anthony Melton, Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield joined the team as former starters with their previous teams. Dunleavy has had positive extension talks with Kuminga and Moses Moody. Former Blazers head coach Terry Stotts and former Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse joined Kerr's staff. 

“A year ago, we won 46 games,” Kerr said. “We didn’t make the playoffs. The year before, we won 44 and we made the conference semis. So win total, I’m not sure you can even guess what it’s going to take. We do know the West is loaded. Memphis is going to be better. Houston is going to be better. San Antonio. You can go up and down the line. Oklahoma City is loaded. Denver is still Denver. Everyone is going to be really good. I think we’re going to be really good. I believe in this team and I’m excited for our prospects." 

Houston: Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta called his team the deepest in the NBA and capable of having a great year after Ime Udoka's first season saw Houston fall just short of the final postseason spot in the west. The Rockets finished 41-41 after going 22-60 the year prior. Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Cam Whitmore, Tari Eason, Steven Adams, Jeff Green, Aaron Holiday and Jock Landale are available behind likely starters Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Şengün. 

Clippers: Terance Mann agreed to a three-year, $47 million extension with the Clippers after a promising start to his career through five seasons after going No. 48 overall from Florida State and Lowell, Massachusetts. Mann averaged 8.8 PPG and 3.4 RPG on 51% shooting in each of the past two seasons. Kawhi Leonard (knee) underwent a procedure in May and could miss the start of training camp despite Ty Lue saying earlier this summer that he'd be good to go for this season. Leonard appeared in only two playoff games for the Clippers after appearing in 68 regular season games. 

“His right knee, the swelling has significantly gone down,” Lawrence Frank said. “It’s almost gone. He wants to participate in everything in training camp. But we’re going to hold him back from drill work and really focus on strengthening, because the goal is to get him 100 percent so he can have a great season. Not just this year, but for many years. We’ll have a detailed plan step by step kind of measure, just having objective measures to go from one phase to the next. But he’s super determined, super excited and can’t wait to get started.”

Lakers: Head coach JJ Redick noted Joe Mazzulla as an influence from the time they spent together one year ago for their podcast interview and that they've grown close since. It's unsurprising after Redick explained changes he hopes to make, increasing LA's success on the margins, getting LeBron James off the ball and forming an identity on both ends of the ball. The Lakers, who took a notoriously low number of threes, will undoubtedly ramp up their shooting volume through James, who finished 41% from deep on 5.1 attempts per game last year. Redick wouldn't commit to calling a championship team, but given health expects them to be in the playoff mix. James, Anthony Davis, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell will start. Redick mentioned that they went 23-10 as a lineup last year. LA's coaching staff has also discussed getting Bronny James and LeBron a moment together.

"We've gotten into some specifics of what that might look like," Redick said. "But we haven't committed to anything. And obviously, there's a discussion to be had once we're all together with Bronny and LeBron, too. They should be a part of that discussion as well." 

Memphis: The Grizzlies' bizarre run of injuries continued with Vince Williams Jr. suffering a stress reaction in his left shin that'll keep him out for roughly four weeks. GG Jackson II, who emerged alongside Williams while most of Memphis' regular contributors went down last year, already underwent foot surgery that'll cost him at least three months to begin this year. Williams averaged 10 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 3.4 APG while shooting 37.8% from three. 

Minnesota/New York: The Timberwolves and Knicks are reportedly nearing a trade that'll send Wolves star Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a Pistons first-rounder that's top-13 protected this year. The stunning deal follows news that Mitchell Robinson (ankle) and Randle (shoulder) weren't ready for training camp, with Robinson set to miss roughly two months once the regular season begins. Jericho Sims, 6-8 Precious Achiuwa and Randle became the team's only options at center with Isaiah Hartenstein gone, so New York reportedly searched the league for Randle suitors and struck before extending him and making him trade ineligible. For the Wolves, the trade ends a nine-year run that helped return Minnesota to basketball relevancy and nearly the NBA Finals in May. Towns often frustrated, but emerged as one of the most talented big men in league history. Randle is a capable replacement, though one with his own past playoff struggles and a far lower ceiling. This will go down as a money move for Minnesota, one the Celtics might have to make one year from now. The Celtics and new-look Knicks tip-off the new NBA season on Oct. 22. 

New Orleans: Zion Williamson explained his newfound drive and the inspiration he pulled from an NBA Cup loss to The Athletic as he enters 2024-25 with his career at a crossroads after another crushing injury that ended his and the team's playoff hopes. The Pelicans begin camp in Nashville this week.

“I want to be one of them ones. I’ve been talking about it and I’ve been making mistakes (along the way),” Williamson said. “That stuff can’t happen. It’s time to take every game personal.”

Oklahoma City: Sam Presti spoke for 90 minutes at his typically long preseason address to begin camp. The Thunder begin this year as popular favorites in the west and some people might even predict them to win it all. Presti cautioned against any thought that the team will begin the year on third base. 

Phoenix: Mike Budenholzer previewed his first season as Suns head coach by surprisingly naming a starting lineup, listing Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Jusuf Nurkic and new addition Tyus Jones. While somewhat of a slam dunk given the team's star power and need for a point guard, it sets a tone for what Budenholzer believes needs to be a faster group that still takes care of the ball. Transitioning the ball-handling to a stronger facilitator feels overdue here too, making the Jones and Monté Morris additions all the more refreshing. 

"Certainly we feel like Tyus has established himself as a great starting point guard in our league and he will be our starter," Budenholzer said. "We feel like we’ve got a strong starting five. And a really strong bench behind them. Tyus can help us play faster. He’s great with the kick-aheads, he’s great with getting teammates involved in transition. But then also in the halfcourt. He’s a guy who has always been a high assists guy, low turnovers. He can get us organized. Everyone talks about how much talent we have. Hopefully he can put them in positions to be their best." 

Sacramento: Trey Lyles (calf strain) and Jordan McLaughlin (ankle sprain) will miss roughly the first several weeks of Kings training camp. Domantas Sabonis stars in the forthcoming Netflix documentary on last NBA season alongside Jimmy Butler, Jayson Tatum, LeBron James and Anthony Edwards. It's an interesting group that Sabonis doesn't seem to fit in with at first glance despite his excellent game. Is he a bigger character than we realize?

Toronto: Join the Nets in retiring Vince Carter's jersey (No. 15) after the trail-blazing Canadian basketball star enters the Hall of Fame next month. The Raptors will honor Carter on Feb. 11. Carter still owns the highest scoring average in Toronto history (27.6 PPG), won rookie of the year in 1999, then made all-star teams in each of the following five seasons with the Raptors. Rookie Ja'Kobe Walter (sprained shoulder) will miss the start of camp. 

Utah: The Jazz picked up a fifth-year option on former Celtics assistant Will Hardy's contract as head coach. He will now remain under contract through the 2026-27 season after starting 68-96 across his first two seasons. Hardy has stressed accelerating the team's rebuild following strong starts in each of those two years before late season moves and slides knocked the Jazz out of the playoff mix. A similar result appears in order based on their roster early. 

“We love Will,” Jazz CEO Danny Ainge said. “We love the direction he is (going). We love the teammate he is. He’s really excited this year to have a chance to develop these young players. We’re excited he’s a part of us.”