Tag: Lonnie Walker IV

Nets’ Lonnie Walker IV not among finalists for Sixth Man award

The NBA announced on Sunday that Brooklyn Nets guard Lonnie Walker IV was not among the finalists for the Sixth Man of the Year award.

The Brooklyn Nets had a disappointing 2023-24 season as the franchise went from a potential playoff team to missing the postseason completely following a 13-10 start to the season. As such, plenty of players saw themselves out of the running for various end-of-season awards that they probably would have been frontrunners for if the season went differently.

On Sunday, the NBA announced on social media via its “X” account all of the finalists for the regular-season awards with the playoffs beginning this past weekend. While it was not surprising, Nets guard Lonnie Walker IV was not among the finalists for the Sixth Man of the Year award.

The finalists were: Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis, and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Naz Reid. The voting results are unknown at the time of this piece, but from the look of it, it seems that there are a few reasons as to why Walker was not a finalist for the accolade.

Walker, 25, averaged 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 42.3% from the field and 38.4% from three-point land in 58 games played. If you lump in Walker’s stats with that of the finalists, he ranks fourth in points per game, rebounds per game, tied for second in assists per game (Portis and Reid also averaged 1.3 assists per contest), fourth in field-goal percentage, and third in three-point percentage.

More to the point, with the Nets finishing with a 32-50 record, all of the finalists’ teams finished with at least 46 wins and were at worst in the play-in tournament. Also, Walker’s play during the second half of the season did not match how he began the year, partly because of a hamstring injury that cost him 17 games.

Through November, Walker averaged 14.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 48.9% from the field and 46.3% from deep. However, he suffered a hamstring injury in a 129-128 loss against the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 30 and missed the following 17 contests with the injury.

Since returning from the injury, Walker was not the same as he averaged just 7.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 38.5% from the field 34.1% from behind the three-point line. The drop in his overall shooting efficiency led to a reduction in his role as well and from there, Walker found his spot within Brooklyn’s rotation to be unstable at best.

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San Antonio Spurs urged to consider Lonnie Walker IV reunion

Should the San Antonio Spurs consider a reunion with Lonnie Walker IV?

This summer will be an important one for the San Antonio Spurs, who have a chance to take a huge leap next season. Despite being the worst team in the Western Conference this year, the talent of Victor Wembanyama alone should be enough to carry them far, but they should be focused on putting a great team around him.

Not only will they have a chance to add another high lottery pick to the mix in the 2024 NBA Draft, but they should have some room to work with in free agency this offseason. Adding solid pieces around Wembanyama will be crucial.

Cal Durrett of Air Alamo recently wrote a list of former Spurs who San Antonio should consider bringing back. One of them was Lonnie Walker IV.

“Stranger things have happened and San Antonio could use more scoring off the bench next season,” Durrett wrote. “With Walker having yet to sign a long-term deal, he may want multiple years on his next contract, which wouldn’t necessarily be a deal breaker. But the Spurs would have to weigh his fit with his potential contract demands and they may instead look at more short-term options.”

Walker has enjoyed a great season with the Brooklyn Nets this year, and a reunion in San Antonio would certainly help the Spurs’ bench.

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Nets’ Kevin Ollie gives injury update on key rotation players

Prior to Tuesday’s matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets interim head coach Kevin Ollie gave injury updates on key players.

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets are at an important point of their season where they can no longer afford to drop any games that they should win. As Brooklyn moves forward with a fairly easy schedule over the next month or so, they have some injuries that they have to monitor in the meantime.

“Lonnie’s gonna work in his vitamins today and see if he can go tonight,” Nets interim head coach Kevin Ollie said of reserve guard Lonnie Walker IV prior to Tuesday’s contest against the Philadelphia 76ers. As of this writing, Walker is listed as questionable due to a left ankle sprain that he suffered in Monday’s 106-102 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Essentially, Walker will be going through his pregame routine to see if he can play on that ankle.

“He got a scan earlier (on Tuesday), so we’re waiting for the results of that,” Ollie said of backup center Day’Ron Sharpe, who is out for Tuesday’s game due to a right wrist contusion also suffered Monday against the Grizzlies. Sharpe came out of the game after suffering his injury, but was able to re-enter the game towards the end of the fourth quarter to help with rebounding.

“I think he’s a full go. Our medical team didn’t come back and say anything about him,” Ollie said about guard Mikal Bridges, who appeared to suffer some discomfort in his right wrist during Monday’s contest against Memphis, but was not listed on the injury report.

“He’s just getting better. He’s ramping up his workouts and I keep leaning on our medical staff, and him also because he’s a big part of this, to let us know when he’s ready,” Ollie said of guard Cam Thomas, who has missed the past four games with his right ankle/midfoot sprain. With Thomas out of the lineup, Brooklyn is missing a guy who’s averaging 20.9 points per game.

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Nets’ Lonnie Walker IV has chance to play on Saturday vs. Spurs

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said on Thursday that Lonnie Walker IV (left hamstring tightness) has the potential to play Saturday.

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets have moved past the 2023-24 NBA trade deadline on Thursday and the team looks different after the trades of Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O’Neale. To make things interesting, Brooklyn still has a game to play on Thursday against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the team will be more shorthanded than originally expected.

“A guy that is going to compete on a nightly basis,” Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said prior to Thursday’s matchup against the Cavaliers of Dennis Schroder, who was acquired in the trade that sent Dinwiddie to the Toronto Raptors. Since the trade for Schroder happened on Thursday and because of the trade that sent O’Neale to the Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn will be missing two more players than they were already expecting to miss.

Vaughn mentioned that Lonnie Walker IV, who’s currently out because of tightness in his left hamstring, has “the potential” to play on Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs. Cam Johnson, current out because of left adductor tightness, has been ruled out for Saturday’s game and the team will see how he feels next week.

Vaughn was asked about Dinwiddie given that he was traded just hours prior to Thursday’s game and he said: ” I want everyone to have success in this league. And, so, I appreciate Spencer being a part of our group and want nothing but success for him moving forward.”

The Nets will be facing the Cavaliers without Dorian Finney-Smith, who’s still out with a left ankle sprain, Walker, Johnson, and Day’Ron Sharpe, who’s out with a left knee hyperextension, in addition to Dinwiddie and O’Neale. Not to mention that Brooklyn will be missing Harry Giles III and Thaddeus Young as both players were/will be waived after Thursday’s trade activity.

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Nets’ Lonnie Walker IV on finding his rhythm: ‘it starts with my teammates’

Brooklyn Nets guard Lonnie Walker IV gives credit to his teammates for his recent play over the past three games.

PHILADELPHIA — Brooklyn Nets guard Lonnie Walker IV was one of the players who could have been in the running for the Sixth Man of the Year award in the beginning of this season. While that chance of winning the award is likely gone due to the time that he has missed, Walker is still playing like that guy now.

“I think it all just starts with my teammates,” Walker said after putting up 20 points and three assists in Saturday’s 136-121 road win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Saturday marked Walker third straight game of scoring at least 19 points and he is averaging 19.3 points per game while shooting 47.8% from the field and 40% from deep over his last three outings.

“Them (his teammates) instilling a lot of confidence in my game, understanding they know what I’m capable of doing and telling me to take those shots and things,” Walker explained. Walker is having arguably his best stretch of the season when it comes to his offensive game and it’s no coincidence that it has coincided with Brooklyn winning three of its past four games.

Walker, who has always been vocal about how his teammates and the Nets organization have instilled confidence in him from the very beginning, continues to give the glory to his “family” for his success. “We have a great group of guys that allow me to play freely and feel comfortable playing with my teammates, that’s the thing, they are like family,” Walker said.

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Nets’ Lonnie Walker IV says he ‘isn’t worried’ about winning 6MOY

Brooklyn Nets guard Lonnie Walker IV said that he ‘isn’t worried’ about winning awards such as Sixth Man of the Year.

NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets guard Lonnie Walker IV has had a interesting path during his time in the NBA. He has gone from the 18th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft to potentially competing for the Sixth Man of the Year award. But, he understands his reality.

“I’m on a minimum,” Walker said after scoring 19 points off the bench in Monday’s 147-114 win over the Utah Jazz for his best game in weeks. Walker spent his first four seasons in the league with the San Antonio Spurs before spending last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Despite the fact that his scoring ability is well-known, Walker is in Brooklyn on a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal. Throughout this season, Walker has outplayed that kind of contract and then some. It’s clear that he’s playing with something to prove.

“So, I carry that weight on my shoulders as far as finding a home and playing the right way and continue to get better,” Walker said. “You know, every day, I’m trying to just stay consistent. I wake up, I meditate, I read, I do this. And, I’m just not trying to skip no steps.”

With the way that Walker has been scoring off the bench, he has been one of the best reserve players in the NBA this season. As great as the Sixth Man of the Year award would be, Walker is worried about other things.

“I’m not worried about awards or accolades. My end all, be all is to win. I’ve been playing this game for 25 years. So, for me, I just love to win. And if you win, everybody eats,” Walker explained.

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Nets’ Lonnie Walker IV on win over Lakers: ‘we know what we’re capable of’

Brooklyn Nets guard Lonnie Walker IV said after Friday’s win over the Los Angeles Lakers that the Nets “know what we’re capable of.”

The Brooklyn Nets have had one of the worst stretches over the past month or so and as a result, they were desperate for a win. Any team that has lost as much as Brooklyn has recently, given their expectations, would most likely be questioning themselves. However, the Nets never doubted.

Nets backup guard Lonnie Walker IV, who had 15 points and three assists in Friday’s 130-112 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, has been one of the players on the roster that brings something noticeably different to the lineup. Walker’s seemingly unwavering confidence, combined with his elite athleticism, provides a scoring punch that is needed in a nightly basis.

Before Walker missed significant time with his hamstring injury, he was regarded as a potential candidate for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award due to how well he was playing off the bench. While he may have fallen out of the race for that award, his impact is still felt all the same by the Nets.

He looked shaky in his return from his injury, but like the rest of the team, Walker knows what he’s capable of. He made that loud and clear about himself and his team after Friday’s win at Crypto.com Arena:

“It feels good, you know? I think we really know what we’re capable of doing. And, I think we showed it today. We think that last game in Portland kind of struck a chord and a lot of us. And, we came today with a little bit more fight, a little bit more grit and just edge.”

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Nets’ Jacque Vaughn ‘hopeful’ that Lonnie Walker IV will play on Friday

After Wednesday’s loss at the Rockets, Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said that he hopes that Lonnie Walker IV can play on Friday.

The Brooklyn Nets (15-20) are in the toughest stretch of their season to this point as it looks like many things are going wrong at the same time. Despite the recent bout of losing, losing 10 of their last 12 games, the Nets have some positive news that could provide a spark to the team.

After Wednesday’s 112-101 loss at the Houston Rockets, Brooklyn head coach Jacque Vaughn said that he is “hopeful” that reserve guard Lonnie Walker IV will play on Friday when the Nets host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Barclays Center. Walker, 25, has missed the past 17 games with a left hamstring strain that he picked up in a home game against the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 30.

For the season, Walker is averaging 14.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 48.9% from the field and 46.3% from behind the three-point line. Walker’s return will be important for a Nets team that is currently struggling to do anything on the court on either side of the ball, especially scoring off the bench.

At the moment, it seems that Brooklyn is still wondering what the team will look like with Walker and Ben Simmons back in the lineup, but it has not been an ideal season in terms of roster health. If Walker is able to play on Friday, that should be a big boost to a Brooklyn team that can use all of the players that they can get on the court.

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Nets’ Ben Simmons improving; Dennis Smith Jr. and Lonnie Walker IV to return soon

The Brooklyn Nets gave their bi-weekly medical update on Ben Simmons, Dennis Smith Jr. and Lonnie Walker IV. Mostly was good news.

The Brooklyn Nets have been without Ben Simmons, Dennis Smith Jr. and Lonnie Walker IV for some time now, but it seems that the Nets will be getting some reinforcements soon after a rough west-coast road trip.

On Wednesday, hours before Brooklyn faces the New York Knicks in the Battle of the Boroughs, the Nets gave a medical update on all three players. For Simmons (left lower back impingement), who last played on Nov. 6, is displaying consistent strength improvement in his back over the past two weeks and has increased his individual court work, per the team. The next update on Simmons will be in approximately two weeks.

Smith (upper back sprain) has been cleared for full basketball activities and will continue to increase his on-court work, according to the Nets’ press release. While Smith has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game against the Knicks, he is questionable for Friday’s game against the Denver Nuggets so he could be back on the court as soon as Friday.

Walker, who has missed time due to a left hamstring strain, is steadily increasing his individual on-court activity, per the Nets. The team expects Walker to progress to playing 5-on-5 over the next several days with the idea of him returning to the lineup next week.

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Nets’ Jacque Vaughn says Lonnie Walker IV will not play on west coast road trip

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said on Friday that Lonnie Walker IV will not play in the upcoming five-game road trip.

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets have a very winnable game on Friday as they face the Washington Wizards at Barclays Center before embarking on a five-game west coast road trip against some tough competition. They will unfortunately be taking on that tough task without arguably their best player off the bench.

“He will not play on the west coast road trip,” Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said prior to Friday’s game of potential sixth man of the year candidate Lonnie Walker IV. Walker is currently out of the lineup while he deals with a left hamstring strain that he picked up in a loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 30. Walker has missed the past two games with the injury.

As of right now, it seems that the decision left to make on Walker is whether he will make the road trip. “Yeah, that’s more travel logistics,” Vaughn explained. “Is it best for him to stay back and get treatment here? We haven’t decided that yet.”

Vaughn also explained why backup guard Dennis Smith Jr. (upper back soreness) was ruled out for Friday’s game against Washington. “Upper back not acting right,” Vaughn said. “He did participate in shootaround, wasn’t a bunch, and then reported some stiffness after that. Listed him as questionable, then he got reassessed, tried to get to a place to play, and just won’t be able to go tonight.”

Smith missed six games during the second half of November due to a lower back sprain, but there’s no indication of whether either injury is connected. Vaughn mentioned that it’s still too soon to say whether Smith will miss any games on the road trip.

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