The Boston Celtics shocked the NBA world by signing Lonnie Walker IV late in the offseason. With their 15th and final roster spot open, they added a guy who averaged nearly 10 points per game last season, even though most expected them to keep the spot open and save some money.
Walker’s ability to score in bunches from all three levels makes him a very intriguing player to take a chance on, but on the other hand, he’s not a great defender, which could make him a liability in the Celtics’ rotation.
Here is one disaster, one realistic, and one dream player comparison for Walker on the Celtics.
Disaster: Jaylen Nowell
At his best, Jaylen Nowell was a solid player in the NBA. He gave the Minnesota Timberwolves some solid seasons, acting as a nice scoring punch in their lineup. But that’s not the Nowell we’re talking about.
Despite putting up a solid season in Minnesota during the 2022-23, Nowell was forced to sign a training camp deal last summer, and now, he’s fighting for a roster spot in the NBA.
There’s not a ton of room for bench bucket-getters who aren’t great defenders, and if Walker doesn’t stick in Boston, he could risk following in Nowell’s footsteps.
Realistic: Dante Exum
In his return to the league this season, Dante Exum played a crucial, yet fairly small, role on the Dallas Mavericks. With great defense and impressive shooting, he was solid next to Luka Doncic.
While Walker isn’t the same level of defender that Exum is, he’s on relatively the same level as a shooter, and his looks will only get easier with the spacing Boston has in town.
This comparison isn’t perfect, as Walker is a bit of a better individual scorer and shot creator, but considering all of the ball handlers the Celtics have on the roster, an Exum role could suit Walker well (if he can improve his defense): Playing mostly off the ball but being capable of handling it when needed.
Dream: Malik Monk
When Malik Monk left the Charlotte Hornets, his career was in a tough spot. They were ready to move on from him, and the Los Angeles Lakers took him on a minimum contract.
Since then, Monk has emerged as one of the best sixth men in the league and recently earned a big-time contract to stay with the Sacramento Kings, who he helped take to the playoffs for the first time in ages.
With his scoring ability and athleticism, if everything breaks right for Walker and the Celtics need him to take on a large role, he could play a role similar to Monk in a few years' time.