Report: 5 Teams Have Lonnie Walker IV on Their Radar

Former first-round pick Lonnie Walker IV couldn't find a taker in NBA free agency this past summer, so he signed on with Žalgiris of the Lithuanian league and the EuroLeague at the end of October.

Walker's contract, however, includes a buyout clause that an NBA team can trigger before Feb. 18th. Now, just six weeks away from that deadline, it appears that there are five NBA teams that could be suitors for the 25-year-old, per insider Marc Stein.

Philadelphia 76ers
Minnesota Timberwolves
Miami Heat
Denver Nuggets
Boston Celtics

All of these teams have designs of making a deep playoff run (with the possible exception of the Heat, depending on the outcome of a Jimmy Butler trade).

Walker was in camp with the Celtics, in fact, back in the fall. But after failing to make the team, he decided to head to Europe rather than take an offer to sign a G League contract with the Maine Celtics.

It's turned out to be a good decision for him, as through 11 games with Žalgiris, he has averaged 14.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 36.8% from the three-point line. That performance has caught the eye of the aforementioned contenders.

The 6'4" guard was the No. 18 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs. He spent the 2022-23 season with the LA Lakers, and last season with the Brooklyn Nets. Across six NBA seasons and 322 games, he sports a 9.8 PPG average, with 2.3 boards, 1.5 assists and a 35.6% mark from beyond the arc. He's averaged 20 minutes a game, and can be a nice piece off the bench for a team looking to fill out its rotation.