“I didn’t know him well until now, but having him around has been a pleasure, both in practice and in games.” Luke Kornet is just one person amongst the wave of other Boston Celtics players who’ve reacted to another shocking roster change in the last few weeks. As anticipation was rising to see the defending champions in their season opener, it was announced that the Cs had decided to waive Lonnie Walker IV, less than two months after he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with them. The 25-year-old had turned into a fan-favorite bench guard who was even respected by the media, thanks to his performance during the preseason.

Boston’s HC Joe Mazzulla has set high expectations for his players, and Walker IV may have been unlucky enough not to make the cut. In a recent Q&A session, Mazzulla revealed his inner belief about his current roster, blatantly admitting, “This team, 2024-2025 Celtics, is not great yet. Like, that’s it, right there.”

However, the head coach highlighted that “yet” is the key term, and that he is not disparaging any of the hoopers or foundation the team has right now. Joe Mazzulla continued, “It just takes time, and every season is different. Assuming that you’re just going to, exact what we say before, doing ‘this’ in the past doesn’t necessarily mean ‘this’ is going to work now, and so you have to stay open-minded to going to something different.”

“And so, the 2024-2025 Celtics is not a great team yet. We have the potential to be, we have the pieces to be, we have the foundation to be. We have to, like you’re saying, go through the process and get to that point over the course of the season. And I think that humility of understanding we have to get better is what keeps us, uh, the process of the mundane, fun,” the HC explained.

Lonnie Walker IV being waived comes just a few days after 3 other players under Exhibit 10 contracts- Ron Harper Jr., Jay Scrubb, and Hason Ward were also not chosen to be a part of the main lineup. While the contract only guarantees a player’s availability for the training camp and the preseason, a popular name like Jordan McLaughlin has gone on to find success after the Wolves decided to give him a chance after playing on an Exhibit 10 deal with the Nets.

With Joe Mazzulla’s sight set on securing the Larry O’Brien trophy for the second consecutive time, he may not want to gamble with new players. Instead, placing his trust in his old players seems like the safer option, while tweaking certain gameplay in a manner that causes the opposition to go back to the drawing board.

Keeping the objective of ‘being open-minded and doing something different to a side’, another reason for Lonnie Walker IV’s exit can simply be attributed to money. It is no secret that many NBA franchises have been struggling to stay beyond the luxury tax and apron limits set under the updated CBA guidelines.

According to Newsweek, the Celtics were reportedly $7 million over the NBA’s second apron. Therefore, even with a basic veteran minimum contract, the team would have incurred severe penalties. While the 9 and 20 points that Lonnie Walker IV recorded during his final two preseason games would’ve made a case, it still might not have been enough for the Cs to incur penalties for him. Whatever the main reason for Lonnie Walker IV being waived was, the Boston side was certainly not too happy with the decision.

How did Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics squad react to Lonnie Walker IV being waived?

The 29 points that Lonnie Walker IV totaled during the two games at TD Garden, by going 12-22 with his field goal shooting, certainly left an impression on the head coach. Referencing that, Mazzulla went on to state, “He had a great approach. A guy that’s been around the league a long time and has seen different environments. Came in with his head down and just wanted to work and wanted to have an understanding of what it’s like—what it is to play our style of basketball on both ends of the floor. I thought he did a good job of executing that in the time that he had.”

Luke Kornet has only been with the Celtics since 2022. Therefore, a relatable factor would’ve allowed him to form a bond with the other new player. This is the reason why, when discussing Walker IV’s exit, he stated, “I love Lonnie. He’s a great player, honestly. His energy and his joy and passion and connection.”

No one would have been more upset about the waive decision than Derrick White, who has reportedly known the hooper since their tenure with the San Antonio Spurs. During the Q&A session with the press, he revealed that he hadn’t talked to his old teammate yet, “I talk to him too much, I think. I try to give him space.”

Pretty soon, however, the Gold medalist added, “Nah, just kidding. But we’ve been close since he got drafted to San Antonio, so that’s my guy. I’m sure we’ll talk soon.”

The Boston Celtics will have their first regular season matchup against the New York Knicks on October 22. Having established a 4-1 win record during the preseason, they are already off to a good start. The question that remains to be answered, however, is whether they can play up to Joe Mazzulla’s standards or not.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.