{"id":40337,"date":"2025-03-07T02:16:23","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T02:16:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337"},"modified":"2025-03-07T02:16:23","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T02:16:23","slug":"after-being-cut-by-celtics-lonnie-walker-takes-the-long-way-to-get-back-to-td-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337","title":{"rendered":"After being cut by Celtics, Lonnie Walker takes the long way to get back to TD Garden"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Lonnie<\/p>\n

When the Celtics signed veteran guard Lonnie Walker<\/b> to an Exhibit 10 deal last August, Walker made it clear that he was joining the team to fight for the final roster spot, not to be assigned to the G League if he was released.<\/p>\n

But the Celtics ultimately chose to waive Walker and keep the roster spot open, both to preserve flexibility and significantly lower their luxury tax bill. Walker signed with a professional team in Lithuania, but after playing 33 games there he earned his next NBA chance when he signed with the 76ers last month.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been in the league a bit,\u201d 76ers coach Nick Nurse<\/b> said Thursday, before his team faced the Celtics at TD Garden. \u201cHe\u2019s had some good scoring nights in the league as well, really explosive athlete. He has a track record. We needed an athletic wing who could shoot from the perimeter, so we thought we\u2019d give him a shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Entering Thursday, Walker had appeared in six games with the 76ers, averaging 4.8 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting just 28.6 percent from the field.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom what we\u2019ve seen, we really like him,\u201d Nurse said. \u201cHe hasn\u2019t played great, by the numbers or his own admission. But I kind of see him coming out of that a little bit. I think he\u2019ll find his feet here a little bit and have some good games.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Celtics and 76ers were both extremely shorthanded for Thursday\u2019s game. Boston was without Kristaps Porzingis<\/b> (illness), Jaylen Brown<\/b> (rest), Jrue Holiday<\/b> (finger), Sam Hauser<\/b> (ankle), and Al Horford<\/b> (rest). Porzingis has missed four consecutive games due to illness.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s coming into the facility every day, tried to get shots up and sweat it out,\u201d Mazzulla said. \u201cBut he\u2019s just not feeling well. But he\u2019s working to get back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hauser tweaked his ankle in the final minutes of Boston\u2019s win over the Trail Blazers on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The 76ers were without Paul George<\/b> (groin), Joel Embiid<\/b> (knee), Tyese Maxey (back), Kyle Lowry (hip), and Eric Gordon (wrist). The 76ers will keep their first-round draft pick if it lands in the top six, but it will go to the Thunder if it falls seventh or lower.<\/p>\n

\n

Ex-Celtic Yabusele getting a chance to impress in NBA return<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n

The 76ers\u2019 injuries and absences have created substantial opportunities for former Celtics forward Guerschon Yabusele<\/b>. Yabusele, who was selected 16th overall by the Celtics in 2016, had been playing overseas since the end of the 2018-19 season. He signed with the 76ers last summer following a strong performance for France in the Paris Olympics.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s played very well all year,\u201d Nurse said. \u201cHe plays very hard. He\u2019s like a coach\u2019s dream, a true pro, plays hard every night. He\u2019s out there every night, has played almost all the games. Great, great spirit, all that kind of stuff.<\/p>\n

Yabusele entered Thursday averaging 10.8 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 50.9 percent from the field. He was in the starting lineup against the Celtics.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t really know if he was going to help us at all at the start of the year,\u201d Nurse said. \u201cHe was kind of like one of the last guys we picked up as we went in there and we did kind of have a need at the roster there. So it\u2019s been a lot of positives from him. He\u2019s been really awesome. Shooting, energy, and effort are all there.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Walker signed with a professional team in Lithuania, but after playing 33 games there he earned his next NBA chance when he signed with the 76ers last month.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":40338,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[133],"class_list":["post-40337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","tag-celtics"],"yoast_head":"\nAfter being cut by Celtics, Lonnie Walker takes the long way to get back to TD Garden - News 365<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"After being cut by Celtics, Lonnie Walker takes the long way to get back to TD Garden - News 365\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Walker signed with a professional team in Lithuania, but after playing 33 games there he earned his next NBA chance when he signed with the 76ers last month.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"News 365\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-03-07T02:16:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/PICTURE-1300-x-1500-px-43.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1300\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MsNga\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MsNga\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337\",\"name\":\"After being cut by Celtics, Lonnie Walker takes the long way to get back to TD Garden - News 365\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/PICTURE-1300-x-1500-px-43.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-07T02:16:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-07T02:16:23+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b1c32261ea7c1375bc99d782277ee798\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/PICTURE-1300-x-1500-px-43.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/PICTURE-1300-x-1500-px-43.jpg\",\"width\":1300,\"height\":1600},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"After being cut by Celtics, Lonnie Walker takes the long way to get back to TD Garden\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/\",\"name\":\"News 365\",\"description\":\"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b1c32261ea7c1375bc99d782277ee798\",\"name\":\"MsNga\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8b3e1c10558dfaf162a998dc15535744ef38d91fd35d4fed1d170bd077977aa6?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8b3e1c10558dfaf162a998dc15535744ef38d91fd35d4fed1d170bd077977aa6?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"MsNga\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?author=4\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"After being cut by Celtics, Lonnie Walker takes the long way to get back to TD Garden - News 365","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"After being cut by Celtics, Lonnie Walker takes the long way to get back to TD Garden - News 365","og_description":"Walker signed with a professional team in Lithuania, but after playing 33 games there he earned his next NBA chance when he signed with the 76ers last month.","og_url":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337","og_site_name":"News 365","article_published_time":"2025-03-07T02:16:23+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1300,"height":1600,"url":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/PICTURE-1300-x-1500-px-43.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"MsNga","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"MsNga","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337","url":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337","name":"After being cut by Celtics, Lonnie Walker takes the long way to get back to TD Garden - News 365","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/PICTURE-1300-x-1500-px-43.jpg","datePublished":"2025-03-07T02:16:23+00:00","dateModified":"2025-03-07T02:16:23+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b1c32261ea7c1375bc99d782277ee798"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/PICTURE-1300-x-1500-px-43.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/PICTURE-1300-x-1500-px-43.jpg","width":1300,"height":1600},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=40337#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"After being cut by Celtics, Lonnie Walker takes the long way to get back to TD Garden"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/","name":"News 365","description":"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b1c32261ea7c1375bc99d782277ee798","name":"MsNga","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8b3e1c10558dfaf162a998dc15535744ef38d91fd35d4fed1d170bd077977aa6?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8b3e1c10558dfaf162a998dc15535744ef38d91fd35d4fed1d170bd077977aa6?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"MsNga"},"url":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?author=4"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40337","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=40337"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40337\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40339,"href":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40337\/revisions\/40339"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/40338"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=40337"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=40337"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=40337"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}