Grading the Los Angeles Lakers signing of Lonnie Walker IV
By Jonny Camer
The Los Angeles Lakers have a plethora of new options for this upcoming season. General manager Rob Pelinka has gone to work so far this offseason bringing in a variety of new options for this team.
One of the most intriguing free agents the team brought in was former first-round pick Lonnie Walker IV.
Grading the Los Angeles Lakers signing of Lonnie Walker IV:
The former University of Miami guard has had an interesting start to his career. In his first two years in the league, Walker didn’t get the playing time he had hoped for.
However, in his third season in the league, he finally got to play over 20 minutes a game and thrived in his increased role. Walker averaged a career-high of 11.2 PPG on efficient shooting splits. This past year he was a solid contributor to the Spurs bench averaging 12.1 PPG.
After the Spurs selected multiple guards in the 2022 NBA Draft, the team had no reason to keep the former Miami Hurricane around. This led to the Lakers swooping in and signing the 6’4″ guard with their non-taxpayer MLE worth $6.4 million.
The 23-year-old is best known for his slashing ability and elite-level athleticism. When you watch Walker IV, you notice the bounce in his feet. This allows him to be a ferocious finisher around the rim. Fans would like to see that bounce and athleticism used more on the defensive end. Lakers coaches will surely work with the young man on that this upcoming season.
Though he is mainly known as a slasher, the Klutch Sports client has shown he can score the rock in other areas. In his first three years in the league, Walker shot 38% from three. He struggled a bit from three this year, shooting 31%. This is likely just a fluke as he’s been a fine three-point shooter his entire career.
Some may argue that the Spurs gave up on the former first-round pick too early. This is a player that has improved almost every season since entering the league. He has skills and intangibles that are unteachable. Many fans and analysts believe there is untapped potential in the former lottery pick. If he can start using his length on defense, he could become a real problem.
With everything being said, I will give the Lakers a B+ on this signing. The team didn’t get a higher grade because they used their non-taxpayer MLE. If the team could’ve gotten him on a vet minimum, I would give the team a higher grade. Lonnie Walker IV is a player with tons of upside, and the Lake Show should be excited to see what he can do.