One NBA writer believes Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonnie Walker IV would be a good fit for the Boston Celtics.
Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report named Walker IV as the Celtics’ most ambitious free-agent target.
“Lonnie Walker IV is a breathtaking open-floor athlete who can also get to his pull-up jumper at will against a set defense,” Hughes wrote. “Ask Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors how tough it can be to handle Walker when he’s on a heater. The 24-year-old guard isn’t much of a passer, but he also doesn’t give the rock away, ranking in the 86th percentile among wings in turnover rate this past season. Walker averaged 18.2 points per 36 minutes in 2022-23 and sits at 16.9 for his career.
“Walker started 32 games for the Los Angeles Lakers this past season and has provided timely playoff help. He made $6.5 million on the one-year deal he inked with L.A. and may have priced himself out of Boston’s range, which tops out at the mini-midlevel exception of $5 million. But we’re being ambitious, and Walker’s aggressive, decisive style could cure what ails the Celtics’ offense.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Lonnie Walker IV, Los Angeles Lakers & Boston Celtics Updates
Walker IV averaged 11.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists for the Lakers this season while shooting 44.8% from the field, 36.5% from beyond the arc and 85.8% from the free-throw line. The Miami product helped the Lakers win Game 4 of the 2023 Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors by scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter.
“I’ve been shooting a lot of shots my entire life,” Walker IV said after that game. “So I got a lot of confidence in myself. I know my value. I know what I’m capable of doing. And by the grace of god and a lot of hard work and sacrifices and time in the gym, the fruition kind of came today.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Lonnie Walker IV, Los Angeles Lakers & Boston Celtics Updates
The Celtics need another dynamic scorer next to All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and Walker IV fits that bill. Let’s see if Boston takes Hughes’ advice and signs Walker IV this summer in unrestricted free agency.
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