After their flurry of moves in the recently concluded 2025 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers are long shots to keep Lonnie Walker IV on the roster for next season.
In selecting VJ Edgecombe out of Baylor with the third overall pick and subsequently picking Hunter Sallis up in the pool of undrafted players shortly after the second round of the draft, the 76ers now have an abundance of competent backcourt pieces who are all skilled enough to play one position up.
There is admittedly a logjam right now for the 76ers, and in all likelihood, Walker will probably be the odd man out. Philadelphia has a $2.9 million team option it can pick up to keep him in the fold, but doing so would further make the front office’s life tougher with free agency on full swing soon.
Lonnie Walker IV appears headed to an exit as the 76ers face a logjam
Walker started the 2024-25 campaign playing abroad in Lithuania after the Celtics cut him before the season even began. The 76ers ended up signing him to a two-year deal late in February, which set him up for a hometown reunion.
The Philadelphia native finished the season suiting up for 20 games, tallying nightly averages of 12.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists on nearly 24 minutes of court time per outing.
While the raw numbers look good, it would be a huge reach to pencil him in as a standout late in the season. He shot just 42 percent from the field in those 20 games, draining 35.4 percent of his triples. Those are far from impressive numbers that would be enough to catapult him into a roster spot next season.
Even more concerning is that he remained inconsistent on both ends. Offensively, he was still prone to long bouts with questionable shot-taking. On defense, he would either prevent an opposing scorer altogether or give up a layup without resistance.
If one is betting as to his 76ers fate, the wise advise is for that person to steer clear from dishing out a big wager. While Walker was not a bad addition at all, he has not been good enough for the 76ers to give him another go-round.
The Philadelphia 76ers have too many mouths to feed in the backcourt and the wing positions, and the reality of the situation is that Lonnie Walker IV has very few going for him in his bid to remain on the roster. It is crystal clear that as of writing, he is the odd man out.