After seeing LeBron James help the Los Angeles Lakers win their 17th NBA championship in 2020, the Boston Celtics‘ trust in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown finally paid off last season with the achievement of a long-awaited 18th banner.
But far from being satisfied with leaving the Lakers second in the list of winningest teams in NBA history, the Celtics want to build on last season’s success to hang even more banners up on the rafters.
That’s why the front office is making sure to keep a competitive team around its cornerstones, Tatum and Brown. Curiously, Boston is adding a former teammate of LeBron on the Lakers for the 2024-25 season.
According to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Celtics have reached an agreement with Lonnie Walker IV on a one-year deal. The 25-year-old was a free agent after spending last year with the Brooklyn Nets.
Lonnie Walker IV’s NBA journey: From playing with LeBron to joining Tatum, Brown on the reigning champs
Selected out of Miami by the Spurs with the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft, Walker spent the first four seasons of his career in San Antonio before landing in LA.
The Pennsylvania native joined the Lakers on a one-year deal in July 2022, making 32 starts alongside LeBron James and company before a knee injury kept him on the sidelines for 14 games.
By the time he was healthy again, Walker struggled to recover a prominent role as the Lakers’ rotation had improved with Austin Reaves turning up his game and the trade deadline moves paying off for the purple and gold. Still, Walker still got significant minutes of action in the playoffs, helping the Lakers reach the 2023 Western Conference Finals.
Walker aiming to prove doubters wrong with the Celtics
Walker packed his bags after only one season with the Lakers, joining the Nets on a one-year, $2 million contract in the 2023 offseason. However, things didn’t go to plan and he once again hit free agency in 2024.
“I ain’t even reach my prime yet, yall gonna see soon. The apology better be just as loud as the disrespect,” Walker wrote on social media back in June as he entered the open market.
Now, Walker gets to join none other than the defending champions. Apart from joining forces with Tatum and Brown, the 25-year-old will get to reunite with former Spurs teammate Derrick White, a key contributor to the Celtics’ championship last season.