When Lonnie Walker IV joined the Denver Nuggets this summer, it left many scratching their heads. But when it was revealed that he had only signed a non-guaranteed training camp deal, meaning he had to play his way onto the team, it became clearer. Because from a financial standpoint, it didn't make sense for the Nuggets to fill their final roster spot for now. Especially with someone who might not even be a rotational player. That's why Walker's chances of making the Nuggets appear even slimmer after their first preseason game.
The Nuggets are in salary cap trouble. I'm sure you've heard by now, but if you haven't, they're the only team over the NBA's dreaded second-apron penalty threshold. If they finish the season over the threshold, their 2034 first-round draft pick becomes frozen and untradable. Not great.
That's why they've been strategically keeping their 15th roster spot open. Any player they fill that spot with just adds salary if they don't make the rotation, making it even more difficult for the Nuggets to make a move to get back under the threshold. They'll likely get squeezed by other teams and have to give up draft picks they don't want to give up. Not to mention the additional fines the team would have to pay.
Walker didn't get much run in the first preseason game
Sure, it's only one game in the preseason, but Walker didn't get much playing time in the 109-97 loss to the Utah Jazz in Boulder. Walker saw just a little over 9 minutes of playing time and only hit 1 of his 4 three-point attempts. He did, however, get 1 block and 1 steal against the Jazz's third-stringers.
But as a third-stringer on the Nuggets, fighting for a roster spot, one would think Walker would have been played a bit more with the rotational players to see how he would fit. He may still get that chance in preseason game two against the Jazz in Utah, but if he doesn't see much time, you can probably stick a fork in his chances of becoming a full-time member of the Nuggets.
It would be rough for Walker, as he took a chance on himself by leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv in the EuroLeague to try to return to the NBA. He was out of the league all of last season, and he left money on the table by giving it a go back in the NBA. He'll probably have a good shot to return overseas or perhaps even latch on with another NBA team if he does indeed get let go out of camp by the Nuggets. But it was still a gamble that he took on himself, so you have to commend him for trying.
But at the end of the day, keeping Walker just doesn't make sense for the Nuggets, especially if he won't be a part of the rotation.
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