Lonnie Walker

Atlantic Notes: McCain, Yabusele, Raptors Injuries, Shead, Walker

October 17th, 2024 at 10:46pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Promising Sixers rookie guard Jared McCain took a hard fall late in the fourth quarter of Philadelphia’s Wednesday preseason game against the Nets. He was down for a while, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (Twitter link), but he was able to get up under his own power.

Head coach Nick Nurse said McCain went to the hospital to be evaluated and the Sixers announced he’d be checked for a concussion, according to Bontemps.

McCain was reevaluated on Thursday afternoon and was diagnosed with a pulmonary contusion, but has not displayed symptoms consistent with a concussion (Twitter link via NBA insider Chris B. Haynes). McCain is out for Friday’s preseason finale against the Magic and will continue to be evaluated daily.

Missing McCain for any time is a blow for the Sixers, but avoiding a concussion is good news for the young guard. He’s been a preseason revelation for the team, averaging 12.8 points and shooting 37.9% on 5.8 three-point attempts per game.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Sixers forward Guerschon Yabusele made headlines in the Olympics after playing well for the French national team, then parlayed that performance into a contract with Philadelphia, his first since the 2018/19 season. Andscape’s Marc J. Spears details Yabusele’s return to the league in a recent feature. “My advice is just work hard, never give up and make your dream come true. If you want it, you’re going to have to go get it,” Yabusele said.
Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley went through a full practice on Thursday for the first time since the start of training camp, Josh Lewenerg of TSN reports (Twitter link). Quickly is questionable for the team’s Friday preseason finale against Brooklyn. According to Sportsnet.ca’s Michael Grange (Twitter link), the guard is still sporting a brace on his thumb. Meanwhile, RJ Barrett is still recovering from shoulder surgery and will not travel for the preseason finale. The hope for Barrett is that he’s ready for the start of the regular season, but there are no guarantees. Ja’Kobe Walter is dealing with the same shoulder injury as Barrett but he’s about 10 days ahead in the recovery process, according to Lewenberg (Twitter links). Walter has yet to be cleared for contact.
With Quickley soon to return and Davion Mitchell and Jamal Shead both playing well in the preseason, it’s possible the Raptors could roll with three point guards in their regular season rotation. However, according to Lewenberg (Twitter link), Darko Rajakovic‘s comments suggest Shead may start the season as the third-stringer, not part of the regular rotation. “I think it’s amazing that we have three point guards, and in practice you could see that everybody is pushing each other,” the Raptors’ head coach said. “Davion is making Quickley better. Jamal is making Davion better. They’re really, really competing and every team wishes for that. When you have more players competing for the same spot, it makes everybody better.”
With the Celtics cutting all their non-guaranteed camp invitees except for Lonnie Walker, it puts the seventh-year guard in the spotlight ahead of final cuts. Souichi Terada of MassLive believes Boston will ultimately waive Walker, since keeping him for the season would cost upward of $10MM in additional tax penalties due to the team’s position against the second apron. The Celtics have also opted to keep that 15th roster spot open to start the season in recent years.
Earlier this offseason, former Knicks manager of coaching analytics Nick Restifo left for the Hawks to be their director of basketball research. According to Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link), the Knicks hired CB Garrett, previously with the Bucks, to replace him.

Celtics Waive Jay Scrubb, Ron Harper Jr., Hason Ward

October 17th, 2024 at 5:44pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Celtics have waived Jay Scrubb, Ron Harper Jr. and Hason Ward, according to the NBA’s official transaction log. All three players were signed to non-guaranteed contracts.

Because their deals included Exhibit 10 language, Scrubb, Harper and Ward are each eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if they spend at least 60 days with the Celtics’ G League affiliate in Maine.

Scrubb has three years of NBA experience with the Clippers and Magic. The 55th pick in the 2020 draft, he spent the first two years of his career on a two-way deal with Los Angeles, then then played in the G League for the Magic’s affiliate in 2022/23, impressing enough to earn a two-way deal in March of that year.

Last summer, he signed a two-way contract with the Celtics but suffered an ACL injury that sidelined him for the season. Upon completion of his rehab process, he rejoined the C’s on a training camp deal in October. Scrubb still has two-way eligibility, but fresh off the injury and with all three of Boston’s two-way deals filled, he’ll open the year in the G League.

Scrubb is a player to monitor. Still only 24 years old, he averaged 22.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game across two G League seasons. He could be someone the Celtics revisit again down the line once their roster opens up a bit more. Another team is free to sign or claim him if they so choose.

Harper is in a similar position to Scrubb. Though he went undrafted in 2022, he was signed to a two-way deal shortly after the draft by the Raptors. Like Scrubb, he didn’t play much at the NBA level, seeing more extensive action in the G League.

Harper only appeared in six games in the G League last year, but he averaged 17.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.3 blocks in his last healthy season in 2022/23. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury after playing in just one NBA game in ’23/24 and was waived by the Raptors in December of last year.

As they did with Scrubb, the Celtics offered Harper an Exhibit 10 contract and chance to compete for a roster spot now that he’s healthy. He made three preseason appearances with the Celtics and will be a player to watch down the line at 24 years old.

The Celtics signed Ward to an Exhibit 10 deal on Wednesday in a move designed to have him suit up for Maine this season. As we noted in our original story, Ward is a 6’9″ forward who helped Iowa State to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last season. He averaged 6.0 PPG and 3.8 RPG.

Boston theoretically could stand pat before the regular season begins. They’re at 18 players under contract. However, the Celtics still have a decision to make on potential 15th man Lonnie Walker IV, who has averaged 7.3 PPG in just 16.4 MPG in the preseason. While the Celtics do have room on the regular season roster for Walker, he’d cost exponentially more than his minimum salary due to the team’s position well over the tax line. We should get some clarity on what the Celtics plan to do by the unofficial cut-down day on Saturday.

Celtics Notes: Tatum, Scrubb, Walker, Davison

October 12th, 2024 at 7:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jayson Tatum was reluctant to go into specifics, but he admits he altered his shooting motion after struggling to make three-pointers during last season’s playoffs and the Summer Olympics, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. The Celtics star talked about “staying forward, keeping my shoulders forward” to get more power, but didn’t offer any further explanation. The changes seemed to work as he went 6-of-14 from beyond the arc in Boston’s preseason contests against Denver in Abu Dhabi.

“It was a couple of things,” Tatum responded when asked about his adjustments. “But I would just say the shot felt good. It felt good to be back on the court playing basketball again, being with the guys. We’ve still got a long road ahead but we had a good week out there and a good two preseason games.”

Tatum added that he’s very happy with his first seven NBA seasons, which have included five All-Star appearances, four All-NBA selections, an Eastern Conference Finals MVP, an All-Star MVP and a championship last season. He looked back on his training camp debut after the Celtics selected him with the third pick in the 2017 draft.

“Really just how different I am, how fast time has run by,” he said. “It makes me cherish these moments. I remember my first training camp in Rhode Island like it was yesterday. Now it’s Year 8. It’s made me reflect on all the things I’ve been able to accomplish since I’ve been with the team and in the NBA, made me kind of proud of myself, happy and hoping that these next eight years go by a little slower.”

There’s more from Boston:

Jay Scrubb was thrilled to return to the Celtics this week after missing all of last season with a torn ACL, Washburn adds. The 24-year-old guard was waived shortly after suffering the injury last October, but he remained in close contact with the team and was able to get another chance. With all three two-way slots already filled, Scrubb is likely to start the season with Boston’s G League affiliate in Maine. “It’s been a battle, I had a tough injury, had to bounce back but just work hard to get back to where I was at,” he said. “I pretty much knew this is where I wanted to be at. They took good care of me through my rehab process, so I felt like this would be the best place for me to come back.”
Lonnie Walker‘s decision to try to earn a roster spot in Boston on an Exhibit 10 contract was influenced by his longtime Celtics fandom and his connections with Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, according to Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. Walker and White were teammates in San Antonio, and he spent part of the offseason training with Holiday. “We just ended up working out together in the summer, kind of put in that grind, working. If it’s in the weight room or if it’s on the court,” Holiday said. “Just knowing the work ethic. He has the ability to do a lot of things. He’s very athletic and can score. I think being on a team like this, we can utilize his skill. I mean, who wouldn’t want to play here? … Very positive, very positive person. You see him. He’s always smiling. A very, very grateful dude. So really, really glad to have him here.”
Payton Pritchard can see improvement from JD Davison, who is entering his third straight season on a two-way contract, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. “Every year, as long as he keeps making a step, he’ll have a very successful career,” Pritchard said. “He has a really good head on his shoulders too, so I expect big things from him in the future.”

Celtics Notes: Walker, Practice Methods, Kornet, Tillman

September 26th, 2024 at 10:31am CST by Dana Gauruder

Lonnie Walker IV made a surprise move when he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Celtics. It was an unconventional decision for a player with 322 regular season NBA games on his résumé, including 58 with the Nets last season.

Walker explains that he had limited options in free agency.

“I wish I had a clear-cut answer for that as to why I didn’t get a guaranteed deal,” Walker said, per Brian Robb of MassLive.com. “But it’s just the way the cards fall. As a man, good, bad or ugly, you got to accept what fate is given and continue to push. I’m not going to stop or put my head down because I’m not given what I expected.”

With 14 guaranteed contracts and a heavy tax burden, the Celtics are unlikely to carry a 15th man to start the season. Walker says if he’s waived and winds up on Boston’s G League team, he’ll handle it professionally.

“(Brad Stevens) also mentioned that there’s a possibility that I might spend some time in the G League with Maine, and honestly, I’m perfectly fine with that,” Walker said. “Because as a man, you’ve got to take it on the chin. You’ve got to continue to work. You have to continue to be prepared and just keep being ready. I think I’m mentally prepared for almost any outcome that may pop up, and I know sooner or later that the worm will turn and that the light’s still at the end of the tunnel.”

We have more on the Celtics:

Nobody could make a basket during the team’s first training camp practice. That was by design. The rims were covered with “bubbles” and the Celtics had to score “points” by other means. “You get your points based on rebounds, turnovers, blocks, steals, everything except putting the ball in the hole essentially,” Sam Hauser told Jay King of The Athletic. “I guess it makes you focus your energy on something other than trying to score, which is probably the (goal). It’s just a different emphasis which is great. But it was interesting for sure.” King details Joe Mazzulla‘s unconventional practice drills.
Luke Kornet re-signed with the Celtics on a one-year deal early in free agency. Kornet wasn’t looking to go elsewhere, he told Robb and other media members. “It’s just been an awesome to be able to play basketball here,” Kornet said. “In terms of every controllable of that side — the leadership, the teammates, just what Boston’s been like for me and my family — I knew that it was an awesome place to come back and stay. And I wanted to be able to do that.”
Xavier Tillman received a two-year deal to stay with the Celtics. Tillman has settled in with the franchise and the city of Boston since joining the team in a deadline-day deal last season, he told Robb. “We’re very, very comfortable,” Tillman said. “At first, when I got here, I didn’t know, because it was finishing up my contract, I didn’t know how it was all gonna pan out for me. But now as far as the city and everything, I feel like I know all the streets, and I know where I’m going. I know about them crazy potholes and stuff like that. Like I’m good now.”
Tillman underwent knee surgery in July but is a full go at camp, Robb reports. “Yeah it was the main reason I was out different periods last year,” Tillman said of the procedure. “My knee would just swell up really bad after a game. But it’s been recovering really well. Like, as far as my range of motion, as far as my strength and stuff like that, and just being able to have a hard day and not have it swell back up. So it’s been progressing really well.” Tillman and Kornet will play key roles while Kristaps Porzingis rehabs from surgery on his left leg.

Atlantic Notes: Walker, Celtics, Raptors, Brunson, Bridges

September 11th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

New Celtics Exhibit 10 signee Lonnie Walker IV, who has probably done enough to warrant a roster spot on a rebuilding team this year, is instead looking to prove that he’s worthy of a roster spot with the defending champions in 2024/25, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

Walker is a solid shooter who has enough offensive talent to play in the NBA, but he’ll likely have to show improved defensive awareness to stick in Boston, according to Weiss, who speculates that the veteran wing could serve as a possible roster option in the event second-year swingman Jordan Walsh and rookie guard Baylor Scheierman need further seasoning.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

All of the Celtics’ top nine players from their run to the 2024 title are returning for an encore next season. With those champs’ places in the Boston hierarchy more or less set in stone, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston speculates as to which player will emerge as the club’s 10th man.
Appearing on ESPN’s First Take on Wednesday, ex-Raptors forward DeMar DeRozan said he believes his former team still would have won a championship in 2019 if he and Jakob Poeltl had remained on the roster instead of being traded to San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green (Twitter video link). “I felt, off the year we had before, we just needed one more piece to kind of push us over the top, and that piece came to be LeBron (James) going to the West,” DeRozan said. “I didn’t get an opportunity to see what would’ve happened, but I have the utmost confidence within myself. I have no doubt in my mind the same outcome would’ve happened.”
Knicks All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson showed true leadership in agreeing to a below-market contract extension, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Popper also opines that the team took a major swing in trading for All-Defensive small forward Mikal Bridges this summer, in the hopes that he can help them match the Celtics and the East’s other top clubs. Finally, Popper considers the fate of Julius Randle, a critical piece who has yet to be locked up beyond 2025, leaving his long-term future in doubt.

Celtics Notes: Holiday, Walker, Bench, Front Office

August 31st, 2024 at 5:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics guard Jrue Holiday is one of the NBA’s most accomplished players, but even he was impressed by the amount of talent on the U.S. Olympic team, writes Souichi Terada of MassLive. Holiday, who has two gold medals and two NBA titles in the past four years, said this year’s Olympics was especially memorable because of the quality of the players involved.

“Those are some of the best players in the world,” he said. “It was fun to go out there and play. Devin Booker, the way that he played, kind of how you play off each other with him is pretty easy. I think Steph Curry is just different, I mean, one of the best players in the world. So to go out there and be his teammate for the first time ever was cool, too. It was an amazing experience. Played with some legends and against some legends, and again, brought back some gold.”

The offseason is nearly over for Holiday and his teammates, who will report to training camp in a few weeks to begin the process of defending their title. The summer has gone by quickly, as Holiday said his memories are still fresh from Boston’s championship celebration in June.

“The medal in Paris was cool, it was obviously against France, so it was kind of literally us against the world,” he said. “But winning here was amazing. I’m not sure anything tops that. To be able to win here in Boston, Game 5, the crowd, the (halfcourt) shot Payton (Pritchard) hit. It was all just so overwhelming that was amazing. Then the parade was crazy, too. I still feel like I’m still on a high with everything going on.”

There’s more from Boston:

After signing an Exhibit 10 deal, Lonnie Walker IV is hoping to win a roster spot in camp just like he did last year on a veteran’s minimum contract in Brooklyn, Terada adds in a separate story. Terada calls the signing a low-risk move for the Celtics and points out that Walker is only 25 even though he has six years of NBA experience. Walker could provide depth at shooting guard behind Pritchard if he makes the team, or he could wind up with Boston’s G League affiliate in Maine.
Playing time for Boston’s bench appears to be unsettled behind Pritchard and Sam Hauser, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. Walker will be given a chance to earn a reserve role, but he’ll have to outperform midseason acquisition Jaden Springer and rookie Baylor Scheierman in training camp.
In the same piece, Robb gives Boston’s front office an A for how it handled this summer. The roster of last season’s title team returns nearly intact, and big men Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman, and Neemias Queta were retained on club-friendly contracts.

Atlantic Notes: Sixers’ Rotation, Yabusele, Walker, Knicks

August 30th, 2024 at 5:33pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Sixers will have a different look after a summer spending spree, prompting The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Gina Mizell to project how the rotation will shake out.

Mizell anticipates the Sixers will go with a different type of starting lineup, with forward Caleb Martin replacing guard Kyle Lowry, leaving Tyrese Maxey at the point. In that scenario, Eric Gordon, Jared McCain and Reggie Jackson would compete for reserve minutes in the backcourt, while KJ Martin, Ricky Council IV and Guerschon Yabusele would fight for playing time vacated by Nicolas Batum. Andre Drummond will slot in as Joel Embiid‘s backup.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Yabusele signed a one-year contract with the Sixers after his strong showing in the Paris Olympics for France. He hasn’t played in the NBA since 2019. “Not a lot of people have a chance of second shots in the NBA,” Yabusele told Mizell. “So when the opportunity comes, you don’t think twice. … I feel like I just wanted to better myself and [say], ‘Let’s try.’ I feel like if you don’t come back in the NBA, then you play your whole career and you be like, ‘If, if, if …’”
Don’t expect Lonnie Walker IV to make the Celtics’ opening-night roster, according to Brian Robb of Masslive.com. The veteran wing was signed to a training camp deal and there are financial incentives for the Celtics to leave him off the roster, since it would cost the team millions more in luxury tax penalties to retain him. Robb pegs Walker’s chances of sticking on the 15-man roster to start the season at 30 percent.
How could the Knicks’ season be derailed? Stefan Bondy of the New York Post explores a few possible pitfalls for the team to navigate, including the overload of wings on the roster, Julius Randle not receiving an extension, and injuries.

Celtics Sign Lonnie Walker To Exhibit 10 Deal

August 30th, 2024 at 3:56pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

AUGUST 30: Walker’s Exhibit 10 deal is official, according to RealGM’s transaction log.

AUGUST 28: The Celtics are signing free agent shooting guard Lonnie Walker IV, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter), Walker will receive an Exhibit 10 training camp contract.

The 6’4″ swingman will be competing for the reigning champs’ 15th and final regular season roster spot. If Walker is waived before the regular season begins and decides to play in the G League with the Celtics’ affiliate, his Exhibit 10 contract would make him eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K.

Should he make Boston’s regular season roster, Walker could actually compete for rotation minutes off the bench, at least during the regular season. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer notes (via Twitter) that the veteran wing connected on almost 40% of his catch-and-shoot three-point tries across his past two seasons, while with the Lakers and Nets.

The 25-year-old is also deceptively athletic, and can finish effectively around the rim when given more extended time on the ball.

The high-flying guard spent his first four pro seasons with the Spurs, who selected him with the No. 18 pick out of Miami in 2018. He spent 2022/23 with the Lakers, providing useful bench minutes sporadically during L.A.’s run to the Western Conference Finals. In 2023/24, while on the lottery-bound Nets, Walker averaged 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.6 steals across 17.4 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .423/.384/.763.

Boston’s interest in Walker dates back at least to last season. Ahead of February’s trade deadline, the Celtics inquired with Brooklyn about a potential deal for Walker, tweets Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Isaiah Thomas Among FAs Working Out With Kings

August 20th, 2024 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran guard Isaiah Thomas is one of several free agents who are in Sacramento this week to engage in some “competitive workouts” with Kings players, according to Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 Sacramento (Twitter link).

Sources tell Cunningham that center Tony Bradley and wings Juan Toscano-Anderson and Lonnie Walker are among the others who will be involved.

It’s unclear whether Kings management is seriously considering making any roster additions based on those workouts, but it certainly couldn’t hurt for those free agents to perform well in the sessions as they seek new contracts.

Thomas, who began his career in Sacramento in 2011, finished the 2023/24 season with the Suns, but hasn’t been a regular rotation player in the NBA for many years, having dealt with a series of injuries since his last full season in 2016/17. The two-time All-Star has bounced around the league since then, spending time with the Cavaliers, Lakers, Nuggets, Wizards, Pelicans, Lakers, Mavericks, Hornets, and Suns.

Bradley, a former first-round pick, spent last season in the G League, while Toscano-Anderson was in the NBAGL for most of the year, though he did appear in 11 games for the Kings while on a pair of short-term contracts in December and January.

Of the four players mentioned by Cunningham, Walker has the strongest case for a spot on an NBA roster this fall. He has averaged 11.2 points per game in 244 contests over the past four seasons with the Spurs, Lakers, and Nets. In 2023/24, the 25-year-old shooting guard recorded 9.7 PPG on .423/.384/.763 shooting in 58 appearances (17.4 MPG) off the bench for Brooklyn.

Sacramento is currently carrying 12 players on fully guaranteed contracts for 2024/25, with Orlando Robinson on a partially guaranteed deal and Keon Ellis on a non-guaranteed salary. The Kings may open the season with just 14 players on their standard roster due to their close proximity to the luxury tax.

And-Ones: Toscano-Anderson, 2024 Draft Class, Durant, FAs

August 13th, 2024 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran swingman Juan Toscano-Anderson, who appeared in 11 games with Sacramento last season and spent much of the year playing for the Mexico City Capitanes, will be part of the G League United roster that plays a pair of exhibition games against Mega Basket in September (Twitter link).

In past years, the G League Ignite participated in those exhibition contests against international clubs — the most notable games occurred in 2022 when Scoot Henderson and the Ignite matched up against Victor Wembanyama and Metropolitans 92. However, with the Ignite no longer active, the NBAGL will put together an All-Star team of sorts for this year’s event.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Asked during an appearance on Podcast P with Paul George about No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher and the rest of the prospects selected near the top of his year’s draft, Hawks guard Trae Young suggested that there may not be any franchise players in the 2024 class. “Some guys might surprise us, but a lot of us look at them as role players,” Young said (hat tip to Clutch Points). “… Whether it’s Reed (Sheppard), who is going to be a hell of an NBA player or Alex (Sarr), who didn’t play well in Summer League, but is going to be a hell of an NBA player, a lot of these guys could be just role players, so I feel like the GMs this year were all probably just trying to figure out who is going to be the best role player for their team.”
Suns star Kevin Durant has become a minority stakeholder in the French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain, according to an announcement from his investment firm Boardroom (Twitter link). Sources with knowledge of the deal tell Peter Rutzler and Shams Charania of The Athletic that Durant and Boardroom bought a “single digit millions” shareholding in the club. Durant visited with the team while he was in France for the Olympics.
Who are the top free agents still available? Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report considers that question, ranking Cavaliers restricted free agent Isaac Okoro atop his list, followed by Markelle Fultz, Lonnie Walker, Cedi Osman, and Justin Holiday. Okoro, Fultz, and Osman are the only players from our June list of this summer’s top 50 free agents who are still seeking new deals.

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