Just when it looked like things were quiet in Boston, the Celtics made another move to end the summer. Deals get done late in the offseason, though it’s usually with relatively unknown players getting their shot to make an NBA roster. But the Celtics finished August by signing Lonnie Walker IV to an Exhibit 10 training camp deal, a notable name for this kind of move.
Advertisement Soon, social media was full of graphics lumping Walker into the Celtics’ rotation. Fans responded by expressing shock that Brad Stevens could nab such a familiar name to a non-guaranteed deal. But the reality is the NBA moves fast and while Walker has something to offer, he’s battling more than just his teammates for a roster spot.
The Exhibit 10 contract for Walker reflects the impact of the new luxury-tax regime. Walker is entering his seventh season and hasn’t grown enough as a playmaker to lock down a rotation spot on a playoff team. The 25-year-old just hit the tipping point of his career where teams are prioritizing younger players with more upside at the end of the bench.
There are plenty of players in the draft who have to make way for the next generation to claim roster spots. It’s the same reason Oshae Brissett is still looking for a new team, even if he showed last year that he is worthy of a roster spot somewhere in this league. But Walker is battling the luxury tax more than anything heading into training camp.
Boston is deep enough into the tax that just signing a player to t.