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Can Lonnie Walker IV make a case for staying on the Celtics roster? – NBC Sports Boston

One of the many benefits of being a championship team is the greater ability to attract free agent players. Veterans will at least consider budget-friendly deals for a chance to revel in the afterglow of the championship. To the winner goes the spoils of free agent players.

The Celtics have already signed several of their own free agents to team-friendly minimum contracts (Luke Kornett, Xavier Tillman) at the beginning of the summer, and on Wednesday evening the team received an interesting invitation to training camp with Lonnie Walker IV.

Walker, 25, a veteran of six NBA seasons, is a former first-round pick of the San Antonio Spurs, so it's fitting that the 18-time champions add the 18th pick from the 2018 NBA Draft.

Walker spent time with Derrick White in San Antonio, then played for the Lakers and Nets. Walker averaged 9.7 points in 17.4 minutes per game in 58 appearances (all from the bench) in Brooklyn last season. He made 38.4 percent of his three-point shots – including an impressive 45 percent of his threes from the corner – which offers hope that he can build on the success from distance he showed earlier in his career.

Walker's potential is undeniable. He's only 6'4″ but brims with athleticism. He has a massive wingspan that allows him to defend bigger wings. His individual defensive stats were excellent despite Brooklyn's struggles last season.

The bigger question here is whether Walker – or another potential addition to the roster – can give the Celtics a serious argument for bringing a 15th player into the regular season.

The Celtics currently have 14 guaranteed contracts for the 2024-25 season and three two-way players under contract. Tax disadvantages make it difficult to sign a 15th player, at least if they don't expect regular playing time.

Still, Walker would add a little more depth to the somewhat weakened winger. The only two departures from last season's championship team were backup wings Oshae Brissett and Svi Mykhailiuk. The Celtics selected 6'6″ winger Baylor Scheierman with the 30th overall pick in this year's draft.

Boston could potentially carry a non-guaranteed contract into the season and explore a desire to keep a 15th player beyond the guaranteed January. Part of that desire could depend on maneuvering during the season.

With the trio of Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, a 2023 second-round draft pick, and Jaden Springer (a trade at the trade deadline last season), the Celtics have a small group of younger players on the roster who have yet to prove they deserve playing time.

Walker has shown he can be a viable NBA backup. Boston's lineup is loaded at guard with White, Jrue Holiday and Payton Pritchard, but Brissett showed last season there's room for a versatile wing player.

The bottom line is that Boston gets a risk-free chance to evaluate Walker's fit with this team and can explore the finances if he proves worthwhile. In February, we added Walker to our list of preferred transfer targets due to Brooklyn's seller status, and now the Celtics have him on board without having to sacrifice any assets.

The key for Walker is the 3 and D. According to Cleaning the Glass data, he was in the 83rd percentile of all wingers at corner 3 forwards last season. He didn't shoot much — just 62 corner attempts — but if you can capitalize on that opportunity when sharing the court with Boston's talented core, you can buy time quickly.

You'll see plenty of eye-catching highlight videos of (Sky)Walker completing loud dunks or throwing spectacular shots in the crowd, but his ability to transform into a consistent long-range shooter and really live out his role as an over-the-top defender is his ticket to staying in Boston – or any other contender in the league.

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