The Nuggets added another name to their roster on Wednesday night, reaching agreement with veteran guard Lonnie Walker IV on a one-year, $3.3 million deal as Denver keeps working toward a full 14-man group.
Walker gives the Nuggets something they’ve been looking for: athletic pop. He can handle the ball, knock down shots and attack the rim, and that should help Denver in pace and transition. He’s more of a wing or combo guard than a true point guard, but at this stage the Nuggets are clearly chasing ball-handling depth, and Walker fits that need.
There’s also a reason he’s available now. Walker has not played in the NBA since the 2024-25 season, when he appeared in 20 games for the 76ers. Philadelphia declined his team option, and he spent last season with Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League and the EuroLeague.
Before that brief stop in Philly, Walker spent the 2024-25 season with Zalgiris Kaunas of the Lithuanian Basketball League and the EuroLeague after coming off the bench for the Brooklyn Nets in 2023-24. His overseas run was productive enough - he averaged over 15 points per game and shot 40% from three last season - but the jump in competition is obvious. He’s still only 27, so there’s reason to believe there’s more left there, but the fact remains that he’s logged just 20 NBA games since 2024.
For Denver, the signing is part of an offseason that has been light on fireworks. The team has added Marvin Bagley and Alpha Diallo, drafted Trevon Brazile and Bryce Hopkins, and kept Spencer Jones and Tyus Jones, while Tim Hardaway Jr., Jonas Valanciunas, Jalen Pickett and David Roddy are gone.
The Nuggets still have one open roster spot, and they’re hoping it goes to Peyton Watson. If that happens, Bruce Brown would be out of the picture too, though he remains unsigned and could still be a fallback if Watson signs elsewhere.
Walker is the second Nuggets free-agent addition this summer who has been playing overseas, joining Diallo. The difference is that Diallo has never appeared in the NBA after going undrafted in 2020 and staying with AS Monaco since 2021.
That’s the part that stands out most: Denver has spent the summer signing more players from the EuroLeague than the NBA. For a team that has to think championship-or-bust every year Nikola Jokic is in Denver, that’s a hard look to ignore.
In Other News...
Nuggets Take A Needed Swing At Their Backcourt Problem
The Nuggets have been looking for another answer in the backcourt, and they found one in Lonnie Walker IV. Denver agreed to a one-year, $3.3 million deal with the guard, who is coming back to the NBA after a stint overseas with Maccabi Tel Aviv. A former first-round pick, Walker spent last season with the Philadelphia 76ers before heading abroad.
For Denver, the move is less about splash and more about necessity. Backcourt depth has been an obvious need as the new season approaches, and Walker gives the Nuggets another experienced option to sort through as they try to fortify a rotation that could use more reliable guard minutes. Whether he becomes more than that will depend on how quickly he settles back in, but the fit makes sense for a team trying to patch a clear hole. [Read more 🡒]
Lonnie Walker Move Just Gave The Nuggets Needed Flexibility
The Nuggets added a little more breathing room this week by bringing in Lonnie Walker IV on an Exhibit 10 training camp deal, a move that gives him a chance to fight for a roster spot without forcing Denver into anything long term. For a team always balancing depth, flexibility and money, it is the kind of low-risk addition that can matter once camp starts and the competition tightens up on the wing.
Denver still has 13 players on the roster, and the signing does not increase its luxury tax obligations, which keeps the front office from having to make a bigger financial commitment just to see what Walker can offer. If the Nuggets need another body on the perimeter, or if other wing options thin out, this gives them a built-in look at a proven NBA athlete without closing off future moves. [Read more 🡒]