Despite what head coach Joe Mazzulla called a “great” training camp, Lonnie Walker IV was unable to crack the Celtics’ regular-season roster.
Boston waived Walker on Saturday, choosing to leave its final 15-man roster spot open ahead of Tuesday’s season opener against the New York Knicks.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Shams Charania were the first to report the move.
The 25-year-old wing scorer joined the Celtics on an Exhibit 10 tryout contract in late August after failing to land a guaranteed deal in free agency. Walker played in four of Boston’s five preseason games and saw extended action in two of them, tallying nine points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals in 25 minutes against the Philadelphia 76ers’ backups and scoring 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting in a win over the Raptors. He was a DNP-CD in the Celtics’ preseason finale in Toronto.
Because the Celtics are well over the NBA’s luxury tax threshold, rostering Walker would have cost the team upward of $10 million between his veteran-minimum salary and accompanying tax penalties. He’s free to sign with any team or, if in the absence of any compelling offers, could begin the season with the Celtics’ G League affiliate in Maine.
President of basketball operations Brad Stevens told Walker when he signed that a G League assignment was a possibility. Walker said early in training camp he’d be “perfectly fine” with that outcome, despite the fact he hasn’t played in the NBA’s farm circuit since his rookie year in 2018-19.
Per the terms of his E-10 contract, Walker can receive a bonus if he plays a predetermined number of games in the G League.
“I’ve got to earn it,” Walker said early in training camp. “Obviously, there’s a lot of different aspects that might carry onto it, but being on an E-10, it’s not guaranteed. I’m not coming here with the mindset of, ‘OK, I’m on an E-10 and afterwards, I’m going to get the guaranteed contract.’ It’s like, I’ve got to work my tail off. I really have to, each and every day, put it all out on the court. First one in the gym, hopefully the last one out, come back later on, shoot and just be mentally and physically prepared for the outcome.”
Walker attended the Celtics’ Shamrock Foundation Tip-Off Gala on Friday night, then returned to Boston’s practice facility for a late-night workout, according to his Instagram. But he was not present when the Celtics opened their doors to reporters after Saturday’s practice.
Mazzulla was mum on Walker’s status in his post-practice news conference, replying “I don’t know” when asked what the team planned to do with him. The report of Walker’s release came minutes later.
Throughout the preseason, Mazzulla and his players praised Walker for his professionalism and willingness to learn.
“He’s had a great approach,” the Mazzula said Friday. “(He’s) a guy that’s been around the league a long time and has seen different environments. He came in with his head down and just wanted to work and have an understanding of what it is to play our style of basketball at both ends of the floor.
“I thought he did a good job of executing that in the time that he had. I thought he did a great job being patient, executing the role we needed him to, and I thought he did a good job in the film room getting to an understanding of our system on both ends of the floor.”
Guard Derrick White, who played 3 1/2 seasons with Walker in San Antonio, called him “my guy.”
“Great guy, works hard,” White said. “You can tell that he’s got a lot of passion about the game.”
Luke Kornet said he enjoyed playing alongside Walker this preseason.
“I love Lonnie,” the backup center said. “He’s a great player, honestly. His energy and his joy and passion and connection … I thought was awesome. I never had the opportunity to know him closely until these past few weeks, and he’s been great to have around and honestly a joy to play with and a joy to work with.”
Walker is entering his seventh NBA season. He’s appeared in 322 career games across stints with the Spurs, Lakers and Nets and averaged a career-high 20.1 points per 36 minutes last season for Brooklyn. Two seasons ago, he was part of Los Angeles’ playoff rotation during its run to the Western Conference finals.
But with the Celtics returning nearly every player from their 2023-24 championship roster, Walker would have had only a minor role with Boston. That, the team evidently determined, would not have been worth his tax-inflated price tag.
Mazzulla said Stevens, in his role as Boston’s top front-office official, has the final say on roster-related decisions.
“We talk every day,” Mazzulla said. “We communicate every day. Not necessarily collaborate on the decision, but collaborate on the opportunities and the things that are there on either side of the coin and what you think there. So at the end of the day, he does a great job making decisions. We trust that decision, but we do communicate every day about where we think things are and go from there.”
Barring a late surprise, the Celtics will enter the season with 14 rostered players: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, White, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Kornet, Neemias Queta, Jordan Walsh, Jordan Springer and Baylor Scheierman.
JD Davison, Drew Peterson and Anton Watson are on two-way contracts that allow them to split time between Boston and Maine.
After news of his release broke, Walker shared a message on his Instagram story.
“Will always bet on myself,” he wrote. “(T)his gonna be one hell of a story.”
White honored
The Celtics recognized White for his off-the-court efforts during the Shamrock Foundation Gala, presenting the veteran guard with the 2024 Community Champion Award.
A longtime Special Olympics advocate, White hosted a bowling fundraiser in February to benefit Special Olympics Massachusetts. He also has worked with Boston Medical Center on its Curbside Care initiative.
“It meant a lot,” White said. “It was very cool to be honored like that. The community is what it’s all about and just trying to give back to the community, give back to the people less fortunate and just trying to celebrate the successes that they have. So it’s a great honor to win, and I’m just glad I can do stuff like that in this community.”
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