Aug 29, 2024, 07:06 AM
Free-agent guard Lonnie Walker IV has reached a one-year agreement with the reigning champion Boston Celtics, his agent, George S. Langberg of GSL Sports Group, confirmed to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday.
Walker, 25, averaged nearly 10 points in 17.4 minutes per game with the Brooklyn Nets last season. Known for his shooting prowess, more than half of Walker's field goal attempts were from beyond the arc, where he made 38.4% of his shots.
Walker began his career with the San Antonio Spurs after being selected 18th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. He then spent a season with the Los Angeles Lakers before signing a one-year, $2 million deal with Brooklyn.
He now joins a Celtics team that is largely intact from last season's championship squad..
Senators Inquire About NBA's Relationship with Rwanda....
On Tuesday, two U.S. senators sent a letter to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver accusing the league of "putting profit over principle" following an ESPN report on the NBA's extensive relationship with Rwandan dictator Paul Kagame.
The bipartisan letter, authored by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), criticized the NBA for positioning itself as a "beacon of social justice" while continuing to build relationships with "dictators and despots" like Kagame.
The senators referenced an ESPN article detailing how the NBA's relationship with Kagame played a crucial role in launching the Basketball Africa League, the NBA's first league outside North America. However, the senators argue that this partnership has led the NBA to overlook severe human rights abuses in Rwanda that are more egregious than those it opposes domestically.
In their letter, the senators highlighted that Kagame's regime has a history of jailing, disappearing, or murdering those who criticize his rule, including opposition candidates and the press. They also raised concerns about the NBA's business dealings in China, which have been previously investigated by ESPN.
The senators have requested a response from Silver within one week, asking him to "outline the scope of the NBA's relationship with the Rwandan government" and to explain the league's efforts to improve the lives of Rwandans, particularly those suffering under Kagame's regime.
NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum had previously stated that discussions with Kagame focused on using basketball to enhance the lives of Rwandans, saying, "How can we create, how can we inspire and connect people through the game of basketball to make Rwandan people's lives better."
The senators concluded their letter by asserting, "Playing ball with dictators and brutal regimes should not be the NBA's business model. Instead, the league should use its influence to advocate for governance reforms, including respect for the rule of law."
No comments: