Fresh off their 18th championship, the most in NBA history, the Boston Celtics already have their eyes set on claiming back-to-back titles ahead of the 2024-25 season. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will once again headline what looks to be the exact roster the Celtics just won a championship with. Brad Stevens and Boston's front office made it their mission to bring back every key player from this past year's title team, yet they recently added Lonnie Walker IV late in free agency.
Walker, who has always been known for his scoring abilities as a shooting guard off the bench, recently spent the last two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers. He proved to be a valuable scoring weapon for both organizations, which is why it was shocking to see teams passing up on him in free agency despite having the ability to sign him to a minimum contract.
Although the Celtics ended up signing Walker at the end of August, he did not get a standard deal with the team to fill their final roster spot. Walker signed an Exhibit 10 contract in Boston, meaning the 25-year-old guard will be eligible to receive a substantial bonus if he is waived after training camp and ends up playing for the Maine Celtics in the NBA G League. As of right now, this appears to be the most likely of scenarios, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
If Walker is to be waived by the Celtics while on his Exhibit 10 contract in training camp, then the former first-round pick will still be a player Boston can keep their eyes on in the G League. Not to mention, this would allow the Celtics to maintain their 15th and final roster spot at the start of the 2024-25 season.
Given the minimal interest Walker generated as a free agent this summer, it seems like he will have to earn his next spot in the NBA with the Celtics in the G League.
What Lonnie Walker IV brings to Celtics
Overall, Walker put together a really solid 2023-24 campaign with the Nets. In 58 games, all of which he came off the bench in, Walker averaged 9.7 points and 2.2 rebounds per game while shooting 42.3 percent from the floor and 38.4 percent from three-point range.
No matter where he is on the court, Walker has proven to always be a scoring option, which makes him a really intriguing addition for the Celtics. Even though he has agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract, the dynamic guard can still prove to be an impactful talent in Boston.
If there is one weakness that the Celtics have, it is their lack of bench depth. Tatum, Brown, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzingis make up arguably the best starting group in the league, but if Boston gets hit hard with injuries, their depth is not all that impressive. Al Horford, Luke Kornet, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser were the only four players to see legitimate minutes off the bench in the second unit last season, as Xavier Tillman Sr. joined the mix in the playoffs due to Porzingis' injury.
Since the Celtics don't necessarily have a real scoring weapon on their bench, Walker could actually prove to be useful. Then again, Boston likely wants to maintain flexibility with their final roster spot entering the season, which is why the most likely scenario is that they waive Walker and have him compete in the G League.
