Lonnie Walker IV, who finished last season with the Sixers, has officially joined Maccabi Tel Aviv. The Israeli club issued a statement on Monday announcing the three-year deal.
“We are extremely proud to welcome Lonnie Walker IV to our family,” general manager Claudio Coldebella said. “Bringing a talent of this caliber to Tel Aviv, a player that was drafted and tested in the NBA, is a strong and clear signal of our ambition to compete at the highest levels and excite our fans. Lonnie’s arrival is not an isolated move but the perfect fit of another valuable piece in the mosaic we are composing with vision and strategy.
“We are building a team with a clear identity, founded on talent, character, and ambition. The resilience he has demonstrated throughout his career fits perfectly with the work ethic and determination that are the pillars of the yellow-and-blue organization. His work ethic is the guarantee of an athlete who is never satisfied but who strives in every way to achieve his goals. Improve personally and help the entire group grow.”
Walker’s agreement with Maccabi Tel Aviv was first reported nearly two weeks ago. His contract reportedly has a total value of around $10MM and includes NBA exit clauses for 2026 and 2027 until July 15 of each year.
Walker spent part of last season in the EuroLeague with Zalgiris Kaunas after Boston waived him in October. He reportedly received a two-year offer from Hapoel Tel Aviv and drew interest from Real Madrid as well.
The 26-year-old shooting guard had a productive stretch after signing with Philadelphia in February. In 20 games, he averaged a career-high 12.4 points, along with 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists, while shooting 42% from the field and 35.4% from three-point range.
He became a free agent when the Sixers declined his $2.9MM option in late June.
“Lonnie is a great player with exceptional talent,” Maccabi Tel Aviv coach Oded Kattash said. “The experience he gained in the NBA and his familiarity with Europe and the EuroLeague will help us a lot. He is a competitive player with a big hunger for success. I am sure he will quickly connect to our DNA and lead us to success.”
Keep practicing to get better and hopefully come back again. Perfect PG body. Tired of this undersized era
3 years at 10 is more than the nba minimum per year. A lot of these players can make good money overseas
We will never forget you Lonnie
Game 4 WCF 2023 cemented you a Laker legend for life –
Congrats on the payday
Lonnie was promised to them 3000 years ago.