The Nuggets are waiving Lonnie Walker IV from his Exhibit 9 contract, two league sources told The Denver Post on Monday.
Walker, 27, joined the Nuggets on a training camp invite, trying to make an NBA roster for the first time in 18 months. He spent parts of the last two seasons overseas, most recently with Maccabi Tel Aviv, and he appears to be preparing for a return to the EuroLeague after his release from Denver. Misko Raznatovic, the prominent Serbian agent who represents Nikola Jokic, announced that he was taking on Walker as a client Monday.
Walker never gained much traction in Denver’s first three preseason games. He scored four points in 17 minutes with the third unit and didn’t play at all in Denver’s win over the Bulls on Sunday night. His release comes with two preseason games remaining. The team will travel to Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Walker was one of two players Denver brought to training camp from the EuroLeague. The other, Alpha Diallo, has a standard guaranteed contract and has been getting minutes with the second unit.
“He has an NBA-refined game,” coach David Adelman said at training camp when asked about Walker’s chances to make the team. “He can score. He understands what he’s trying to do with the ball. Very good athlete. He’s been good defensively. But it’s a roster, and it’s hard to make.”
The Nuggets still have an open 15th roster spot, but they also started last season with one, waiting until March to fill it.
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