Rob Pelinka may have a golden chance to fix his roster. This is because his former hooper, Lonnie Walker IV is most unlikely to open the season for the Boston Celtics. Well, this might come as a shock for many, but the C’s have waived their preseason hero. Following the end of the Exhibit 10 contract, the ex-Lakers playmaker unfortunately missed out on making it to the roster, leaving him as a free agent.

ESPN’s Senior NBA insider, Shams Charania reported the news, which is now making shockwaves in the basketball world. Well, fans were expecting “better” from the Celtics because Lonnie’s performance for them had been brilliant. Pelinka’s former guard averaged 9.7 PPG in the Preseason for the reigning champs. This result is pretty good for a five-game slate.

And now that Walker finds himself out of a roster, the Lakers might have a chance to bring him back. The 26YO has been a hero for Rob Pelinka’s team during his stint with the Purple and Gold. Therefore, fans are putting forth their demands to replace a certain player with a perfect choice like Lonnie Walker IV. In reality, this might be THE moment for the Lakers front office to fix the loophole. So, will they do it?

Fans are trying to plant the idea of bringing Lonnie Walker back into Rob Pelinka’s mind

According to NBA insider Keith Smith, the Celtics kept their 15th spot vacant by waiving Lonnie Walker IV. “$11M in salary plus tax penalties was a big ask for a likely non-rotation player,” he added. Moreover, the ex-Lakers will go on to play for the Maine Celtics in the NBA G League unless an NBA team signs him. Here is how Rob Pelinka and Co. can barge into the picture. Walker is a proven hero for the Lakers and therefore a fan suggested: “Rob you better waive JHS and make things right.”

Jalen Hood-Schifino might add to the Lakers’ roster struggles. The 21-year-old debuted last season but played only 21 games. He averaged just 1.6 points per game. After a lumbar microdiscectomy in March 2024, his return is unclear. Fans believe Lonnie Walker IV would be the ideal replacement.

Meanwhile, forgetting Game 4 of the 2022/23 playoffs against the Warriors would be unfair to Rob Pelinka’s once-upon-a-time hero. Former coach Darvin Ham had removed Walker from the rotation list, but in a crucial playoff game, the 26-year-old turned out to be one of the game-changers. Walker delivered on the biggest game night, scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter, nearly matching the Golden State Warriors’ total as a team, as the Lakers escaped with a 104-101 victory in Game 4 of their second-round series. Is this not a good enough reason for Rob Pelinka to bring back his reliable key? But it looks like the guard is already a Laker for the fans again!

Sharing similar sentiments, another fan stated: “Lakers should just sign him back 😭” The Purple and Gold squad should consider re-signing the former Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball. But what comes as a shock is how underrated Rob Pelinka’s ex-shooting guard is in the NBA world. Lonnie Walker IV has played more than 300 games in a span of 6 seasons. However, he has started just 88 games. Shocking isn’t it? Maybe, the Lakers might have an opportunity to give a deserving starting position to the guard.

Moreover, given his records over the years due to a lack of games, Walker would be a much cheaper option than the ones the front office is currently eyeing. “Lakers should get him back for cheap. Played well in the 2023 postseason,” a fan pointed out. He was able to score 9.7 PPG through the 58 games he played for the Nets.

Well, it isn’t surprising that fans of other teams are also suggesting their front offices sign Lonnie Walker. Therefore, if Rob Pelinka truly wants to improve his roster, he must get going ASAP. Meanwhile, teams are expected to intensify the competition to acquire the ex-Brooklyn Nets hooper. No one is unaware of Walker’s potential as a shooting guard, thus it wouldn’t be too long before he returns to the pinnacle of basketball with one of the major teams. And well, the Lakers could be one such option.

Just three days before the Regular Season is set to kick off the Boston Celtics dropped the bomb. Well, this has thrown Lonnie Walker IV and the Lakers in the spotlight. Amidst all of this stands Rob Pelinka- in dilemma or not, we can’t say. But he surely has some solid decisions to make for the team and his fans. So, will Walker find himself donning the Purple and Gold jersey once again? It’s hard to tell until further development. What do you think?