Lonnie Walker IV signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. The two sides agreed to a 1-year contract worth $6.5 million, or $6.5 million per season. This contract ties him down through the 2022-23 season.
Lonnie Walker IV Signs With the Los Angeles Lakers
Over his 4-year NBA career, Lonnie Walker IV has only played for the San Antonio Spurs. He has put up 9.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game for his career. He was originally drafted in the first round, 18th overall of the 2018 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs. Last season he scored 12.1 points and 2.6 rebounds for the San Antonio Spurs. Walker IV was not offered a qualifying offer by the Spurs, making him an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Source from ESPN: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34175502/los-angeles-lakers-add-lonnie-walker-iv-damian-jones-troy-brown-jr-nba-free-agency. Walker IV is one of three players joining the L.A. Lakers on a one-year deal so far. The 23-year-old played in a career-high 70 games last season.
What This Means for the Future
This is likely a one-year, prove-it deal for Walker IV. He suffered a dip in scoring efficiency last season, but averaged a career-high 12.1 points per game. Walker IV is only 23 years old and should provide plenty of energy, hustle, and youth to a Lakers squad sorely lacking in it. If the former Miami product can find his shooting stroke from two seasons ago, he’ll be a regular contributor for the Purple & Gold next season.
