San Antonio Spurs: Just how high is Lonnie Walker’s ceiling?

An in-depth analysis of San Antonio Spurs guard Lonnie Walker IV’s potential and some predictions about how far he can take his talent.

Although the San Antonio Spurs recently suffered three tough losses to the Pelicans and Lakers, all of a sudden, Spurs fans have a lot to be excited about. Not only were both DeMar DeRozan and Dejounte Murray recently nominated for Western Conference Player of the Week, but Zach Lowe named Keldon Johnson one of his 10 favorite players he’s watched so far this season. Still, among all the noise, Spurs fans shouldn’t forget about Lonnie Walker IV.

Walker’s freakish athletic ability alone has had plenty of people excited ever since he was drafted in 2018. After spending much of his rookie season with the Austin Spurs, he had a lukewarm sophomore season in San Antonio, averaging roughly six points, two rebounds, and an assist per game while shooting 43 percent from three. His most memorable performance came in the Spurs’ first meeting with the Houston Rockets last year when he erupted for 28 points and three steals, with a BPM of +29 in a double-overtime win.

Despite this performance, his inconsistencies from last season are increasingly making fans question the extent of his future role on the Spurs as well as the height of his ceiling.

Here, I’ll aim to put Lonnie’s 2019-20 season in perspective, briefly analyze the current strengths and weaknesses in his game, and make some educated predictions on his potential. 

<!—->