Simply when it appeared as if the Boston Celtics had been performed pulling offseason triggers and confidently ready to embark on a possible repeat as reigning NBA champions, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens revealed the group is not performed discovering methods to enhance — even with Opening Night time lower than two months away.
The Celtics signed guard Lonnie Walker IV to a one-year deal, an Exhibit 10 contract, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, which permits the 25-year-old to achieve a bonus if Boston decides to waive him after coaching camp and assign Walker to its G League affiliate in Maine. Then once more, if Walker does make the reduce and lands a task within the staff’s reserve unit, the low-cost, low-risk signing may show to be a win-win for all events concerned, and presumably the newest tally on Stevens’ checklist of entrance workplace fleeces.
Walker averaged 9.7 factors on 42.3% taking pictures and 38.4% from 3-point territory, doing so whereas logging 17.4 minutes by 58 video games with the Brooklyn Nets final season. That outdoors taking pictures manufacturing locations Walker above the league common (37.2%) final season from guards throughout the NBA, which after all, matches completely into the offensive construction of Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla. Contemplating Walker, on the very least, may fill the staff’s remaining roster spot and change free agent Oshae Brissett, the signing poses the potential for an improve. Walker’s a greater shooter from three than Brissett and a extra expert playmaker than Svi Mykhailiuk — the one different member of Boston’s title-winning roster who wasn’t retained this offseason.
There’s additionally the two-sided incentive between a Walker-Celtics bonding. Boston simply proved itself because the NBA’s most elite assembling of expertise by profitable a league-leading 64 video games within the common season, cruising with a 16-3 report within the postseason en path to Banner 18 and gaining “NBA 2K25” bragging rights with Jayson Tatum as the duvet athlete. However settling for only one title is not sufficient, particularly after possession invested a whooping $930-plus million on the beginning lineup’s contracts alone — Tatum ($315 million), Jaylen Brown ($286 million), Kristaps Porzingis ($60 million), Jrue Vacation ($135 million) and Derrick White ($125 million). Recognizing a possibility to kind a dynasty run, very similar to the Golden State Warriors who’ve gained 4 titles up to now 9 years, Boston is hungry for extra — as Walker, too must be.
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The veteran has bounced off one-year contracts with the Nets and Los Angeles Lakers, unable to safe a steady multi-year deal since signing a four-year rookie contract with the San Antonio Spurs in 2018. To place it merely, Walker is battling for a payday and the respiration room to safe a task. Even when the Celtics aren’t the staff to offer that, particularly amid its majority possession stake sale and wage cap issues, Boston may nonetheless supply a bridge alternative for Walker to showcase a breakout of some type earlier than returning to the free company market subsequent season. The Celtics are sure, not just for playoff basketball however one other deep run towards Banner 19, which — primarily based on final season’s outcomes — may present a plethora of avenues for Mazzulla to insert Walker in a mess of conditions to provide in well timed moments.
Worst-case state of affairs, Stevens cuts ties and patiently awaits the developmental outcomes of rookies Baylor Scheierman and Anton Watson, and second-year ahead Jordan Walsh all through preseason and the early weeks of 2024-25.
