Matthew Tynan: Lonnie: “I’m hopeful to be back. It’s up to my agents. I’m gonna take a nice slow vacation with my fiancée, call it a summer and get back into grind mode.” With a relatively dry free-agent pool out there this summer, Lonnie’s restricted free-agency should be interesting.
Source: Twitter @Matthew_Tynan
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Mike Finger @mikefinger
Free-agent-to-be Lonnie Walker is about to go on vacation and will not be glued to his phone.
“I’m definitely throwing it in the ocean. You might get a call from a goldfish.” – 1:14 AM
Paul Garcia @PaulGarciaNBA
“I’m hopeful to be back. At this point it’s up to my agents.” – Lonnie Walker IV on entering free agency
The Spurs can make Lonnie a restricted free agent by tendering him a qualifying offer by June 29 this summer. – 1:12 AM
More on this storyline
“I am just worrying about the games, honestly,” Walker said. “I am not too worried about after the season, what am I going to do, what happens next.” Drafted 18th overall out of Miami in 2018, Walker and the Spurs could not come to an agreement on a contract extension before the start of the season. That set the stage for Walker to test free agency this offseason. After an up-and-down start to the season, Walker has begun to settle into a defined role as an “instant offense” guy off the Spurs’ bench. -via San Antonio Express-News / March 19, 2022
Walker made $4.4 million this season, the final year of the rookie-scale deal he signed in 2018. He came into Friday’s game against New Orleans averaging 12.4 points in 64 games, both career highs. Walker is hoping to close his fourth NBA season on a high note, knowing summer free agency will take care of itself. “I’m getting more and more comfortable as the season proceeds,” Walker said. “I am thankful for my coaches and (teammates). They instill a lot of confidence in me to play freely and do what I do. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know how well I would be doing. I am thankful I am in that position right now.” -via San Antonio Express-News / March 19, 2022
