What can Lonnie Walker IV bring to Boston?

Out of the blue, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news that free agent guard Lonnie Walker IV had reached an agreement with the Boston Celtics on a one-year deal. The contract is an Exhibit-10 deal which essentially is a one-year deal that isn’t guaranteed.

It was a surprise to most fans that Brad Stevens was able to pick up this notable free agent this late into the summer. Admittedly, I assumed Walker would sign to a team when free agency opened back in June. Now, Boston has, on paper, their roster for next season which is very similar to last year’s team with only Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and Oshae Brissett not on the team that helped Boston win the title back in June.

At only 25 years old, Walker has been in the NBA since 2018 after being a first round draft pick by San Antonio. So, what can Lonnie Walker IV bring to Boston if he makes the team? The easiest answer is scoring. The 6’4 combo guard is known for his scoring ability on all three levels. Last season in 58 games with the Nets he averaged 9.7 points on 42.3% shooting from the field. He shot 38.4% from deep on 4.7 attempts per game.

When Walker gets the ball, he’s not afraid to let it fly. Signing with Boston — where the offense is one of the best in the league and where Joe Mazzulla is all about shooting threes — this seems like a perfect fit. Walker has no hesitation when he gets the ball beyond the arc and if the defense is slow to close out on him, he’ll make them pay.

Walker is comfortable sitting in the corner and waiting for the kick out. If he’s on the floor with the likes of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis then he’ll need to hit open threes like he did here against Orlando.

When Walker goes to attack the paint, he doesn’t necessarily do it with speed. Rather, he uses his body extremely well and his ability to create space via a step-back or simply rely on his athleticism gives him clean looks to get his shot off.

Even in the game against the Pacers. He looks as if he’s moving in slow motion but he’s effective in what he does and gets to the line. He’s a 79.5% career free-throw shooter, too.

Again, Walker isn’t zooming past his opponent but with his wingspan and length, he’s able to pull off shots without having elite speed to blow by a defender.

Frankly, for any player that is signed to Boston, if you don’t play defense you won’t see the court no matter how good of a scorer you are. If Walker wants his contract guaranteed for the season, he’s going to have to prove it on the defensive side first. Walker probably won’t be a lockdown defender, but with his size and length, he should be serviceable.

On a minimum deal, this is a low-risk high-reward type of signing. Walker posted this on X alluding to no team showing interest in signing him at the start of free agency.

And if you don’t remember the damage he did to us last season, here are some highlights of him playing well against the best team in the league.