OT: Lonnie Walker, Updates

[GoCeltics123]

Shams:

I’m told there’s a chance Walker is waived after camp to keep Boston’s 15th roster spot open going into the season

That would be a buzzkill if he's just cut

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5731401/2024/08/29/lebron-james-jayson-tatum-netflix-celtics-nba-the-bounce/

[shackles10]

Wonder if this is because they are exploring moving Springer and his $4M contract

It's possible, but I would guess they aren't "exploring" any of that yet and just a move that gives them flexibility in case they did want to explore that later one. Better to have a guy like Walker you could fall back on if you did make a move than someone who's never been in a regular rotation before. Springer is probably first to go if they did need to cut payroll though.

[shackles10]

Shams:

I’m told there’s a chance Walker is waived after camp to keep Boston’s 15th roster spot open going into the season

That would be a buzzkill if he's just cut

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5731401/2024/08/29/lebron-james-jayson-tatum-netflix-celtics-nba-the-bounce/

100% proof Brad doesn't read this board if Walker is cut lol.

[Shak_Celts]

Never watch videos of exhibit 10 guys because it can leave you hurt. Really thought Gabriel had a chance to shine and take korny’s role, I was disappointed. Happy Brad chose right, Korny saved our butts a few times and helped us seal a victory or two in the playoffs.


Once I got back into looking at Walker’s videos, I remember how much I thought he was a steal for the fakers when they first snagged him! He’s only 25, so you know that adds extra onto my delusions. I remember thinking, damn we could have used him.


I wish we signed him straight up so I could really fan out, but I just have to ease into him because I feel like I could say some really wild ish about my hopes for him. He’s 25!!

[Smart2Nesmith43]

A few quick thoughts on the signing:

1) Brad Stevens doesn't miss.

2) I think he was scarred for life with the G-league level deep bench crews that Ainge assembled at the end of his coaching tenure. Stevens really seems to favor having a guy that has proven he can score and shoot at the NBA level (obviously not super efficiently otherwise he would get a bigger contract elsewhere) to round out the bench à la Svi last season.

3) Lonnie Walker has a reputation as a good dude and a good teammate. Can never have too many of those.

4) With an Exhibit 10 deal, you are obviously getting a flawed player but Lonnie Walker's strengths align with Mazzulla ball in the way that past camp signings that underwhelmed (e.g. Lamar Stevens and Wenyen Gabriel) do not. He put up 13.3 threes per 100 possessions last year which is Sam Hauser level volume (13.2 per 100 last season). 38.5% from three is pretty good too. Now both numbers were a bit outside his career averages so there should be some regression to the mean but he can really shoot. He is also a really low turnover guy (8.6 career TOV%) which is only going to amplify a team that finished with the lowest turnover rate last year.

5) If he ends up in Maine you get a overqualified floor spacer and ball handler for that level. He can provide space for the guys that are in the Celtics long term plans so they can stretch their games without collapsing under too much ball handling responsability

6) Welcome to the Celtics Lonnie.

[playa-hater]

Walker better not "SVI" himself out of a chance.. what I mean by that is I believe SVI is/was a good shooter. But in trying to Earn more time last year he took some really bad/off balanced shots. Though many was in Garbage time. I think it can lead to bad impressions however.

My Sig says "Shooters".. I say that because I want that above all else. Shooter = Spacing. Better spacing = better offense.. Cased closed..

[31to6]

Wow, awesome surprise!
Good thing I didn't place a wager on them keeping the 15th roster spot OPEN this season -- I mean -- I mean, who would do that? Who would do such a thing, right?

[31to6]

Walker better not "SVI" himself out of a chance.. what I mean by that is I believe SVI is/was a good shooter. But in trying to Earn more time last year he took some really bad/off balanced shots. Though many was in Garbage time. I think it can lead to bad impressions however.

My Sig says "Shooters".. I say that because I want that above all else. Shooter = Spacing. Better spacing = better offense.. Cased closed..

I think the off-balance shot is just a big part of Svi's game. Some guys are like that. Marco Belineli, for one.

Walker strikes me as a much more up-and-down guy, with enough pop to his game to provide adequate minutes if needed in the RS at least this season.

[zoyathedestroya]

Wow, awesome surprise!
Good thing I didn't place a wager on them keeping the 15th roster spot OPEN this season -- I mean -- I mean, who would do that? Who would do such a thing, right?

It’s still open, btw hehe.

[TatumMVP]

Poor man's Jaylen Brown.

[jfs1000d]

He's a good player. If he makes the team we might cut someone else.

We'll see.

[31to6]

White/Jrue/Jaylen/Jayson/Porzingis
Pritchard/Walker/Hauser/Al/Kornet
Springer/Scheierman/Walsh/Tillman/Queta

Two-way:
Davison/Peterson/Watson

Easiest spot to upgrade:
replace Peterson with almost anyone

Possibly on the bubble:
Walsh/Scheierman/Davison/Walker himself

Excellent value:
almost everyone else

[31to6]

Poor man's Jaylen Brown.

He reminds me of a smaller Jeff Green, in terms of body posture and movements (without the wild DUNKS ALL OVER guys)

[sam_I_am]

I love this pick up. When KP went down the team still rolled along through finals but it was clear that outside of “starting 6” the bench scoring was very shaky. PP and Hauser had moments for sure but this team really can use a professional scorer off the bench. Walker may be flawed but he is a guy who can get hot and light it up. He learned from the best coach in the game in Popovic and will probably have some decent chemistry playing next to DWhite.

Brown and Tatum have been able to log heavy minutes year in and year out but they are at the age where it would be nice to give them more games off. Lonnie Walker is exactly what this team needed. If Scheierman or Springer step up and make him irrelevant ….even better but I wouldn’t count on that happening this season.

[Hal14]

Shams:

I’m told there’s a chance Walker is waived after camp to keep Boston’s 15th roster spot open going into the season

That would be a buzzkill if he's just cut

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5731401/2024/08/29/lebron-james-jayson-tatum-netflix-celtics-nba-the-bounce/

Well, Getting cut is often the outcome of guys on a training camp contract.

Here are the guys we've had on a training camp contract over the past few years:

[hugepatsfan]

Read on Twitter

Always brings a smile to my face when I see this video on twitter haha

Belichick watches a lot of C's game in the box with Brad. Feels like some weird freaky friday type of **** happened where they swapped minds and Bill forgot how to GM team but Brad's a goat at it now.

[ConstableGeneva]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[ConstableGeneva]

They could do a partial guarantee as they did with Lamar if another team doesn't swoop in with a better deal before opening night. But something tells me Walker really wanted to become a part of the Celtics program. Hard to believe there aren't already better offers out there, money-wise and PT-wise.

[shackles10]

I remember Walker's unusual haircut from his early Spurs days and just looked it up to see when he cut it because I couldn't remember. That brought me to a story from his IG about why he grew it out since 5th grade and why he then chose to cut it. I'm rooting for this guy!

https://www.businessinsider.com/spurs-lonnie-walker-iv-cuts-hair-after-childhood-sexual-abuse-2020-6#:~:text=%22dead%20weight.%22-,%22Me%20cutting%20my%20hair%20was%20more%20than%20a%20cut%2C%22,Out%20with%20old.

[Dogen]

Shams:

I’m told there’s a chance Walker is waived after camp to keep Boston’s 15th roster spot open going into the season

That would be a buzzkill if he's just cut

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5731401/2024/08/29/lebron-james-jayson-tatum-netflix-celtics-nba-the-bounce/

Well let's be realistic here. Getting cut is often the outcome of guys on a training camp contract.

Here are the guys we've had on a training camp contract over the past few years:

Let's be even more realistic. Very little chance that Brad picks up an established, well-regarded NBA vet for a training camp invite, only to waive him. Not saying it's not going to happen that way, and ultimately it's Lonnie's chance to make it or blow it, but ususlly with Brad there's another play behind the play.

It would be out of character for him to extend an offer like this to a vet unless he has a longer term plan that is mutually beneficial to the team and to the player.