Nuggets Cut 27-Year-Old Guard Who Returned From Israel After Earning NBA Training Camp Invite

The Denver Nuggets are making some tough roster moves leading up to the regular season. After signing Ryan Nembhard to a two-way contract and waiving KJ Simpson, they have officially waived Lonnie Walker IV from his non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 training camp contract. Two league sources confirmed the roster move to The Denver Post on Monday, bringing a swift end to the former first-round pick’s bid for an NBA comeback. The decision leaves the Nuggets with an open 15th roster spot as they prepare to wrap up their preseason schedule in Los Angeles against the Clippers and Lakers before opening the 2026–27 regular season.

Walker, who spent the last 18 months playing overseas in Europe, faced steep competition for wing depth and failed to establish a firm foothold in head coach David Adelman’s preseason rotation. Across Denver’s first three preseason contests, the 27-year-old guard logged just 17 total minutes, accumulating four points on 1-for-4 shooting alongside three rebounds and two assists with the third unit.

The writing appeared on the wall during Sunday night’s 133-128 home victory over the Chicago Bulls, where Walker did not play at all due to a coach’s decision.

Addressing the difficulty of final roster cuts during training camp, Adelman pointed to the reality of the Nuggets’ cap constraints.

“He has an NBA-refined game,” Adelman told Denver Post about Walker. “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 likely aren’t going to rush to fill the open 15th spot either. They started last season with one spot open too. Rather than tying up payroll on a veteran score-first reserve, the front office elected to maintain financial flexibility.

Despite open guard spots initially existing during the offseason, Denver’s front office opted to lean heavily into versatile young talent. The emergence of former Gonzaga star Ryan Nembhard, who joined Denver on a two-way contract after averaging 6.6 points and 5.3 assists with Dallas last season, alongside explosive wing Cam Whitmore and forward Bryce Hopkins, made Walker expendable.

 The roster crunch was further highlighted by the presence of fellow EuroLeague signee Alpha Diallo, who earned a standard guaranteed deal and consistent second-unit minutes.

With his NBA camp stint concluding abruptly, Walker’s next basketball chapter is already taking shape across the Atlantic.

NBA exit sets the stage for Lonnie Walker’s EuroLeague return

Mere hours before the Nuggets waived him, clues had already emerged on social media about Lonnie Walker IV’s next chapter. Pretty obviously, it looks like he’s going back to European competition.

On Monday, the Serbian sports agent Misko Raznatovic, who prominently represents 3x NBA MVP and Nuggets centerpiece Nikola Jokic, announced on X that his agency, BeoBasket, had officially taken on Walker as a new client.

“Lonnie Terrence Walker IV is our new client!” Raznatovic posted. “He shined last 2 years in Europe, playing for Zalgiris and Maccabi, while he is currently at the Denver Nuggets’ training camp! #BeoBasket”

While the training camp situation changed rapidly after that post, connecting with Raznatovic heavily fuels speculation that Walker is lining up an immediate contract with a powerhouse EuroLeague contender.

Walker spent the 2025–26 campaign in Israel playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv, where he established himself as one of the premier offensive guards on the continent. Across 45 appearances for Maccabi, Walker showcased elite efficiency, averaging 15.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game while knocking down 40% of his attempts from three-point range.

That strong stint built upon a previous successful run with Lithuanian club Zalgiris Kaunas. He briefly played with the 76ers last year, in a 20-game stint. While he recently revealed he’s dating WNBA player Evina Westbrook, his attempts to return to the NBA haven’t materialized.

While Walker hoped his European showcase would translate into a permanent NBA bench role, the Nuggets’ preference for younger, cost-controlled contracts sealed his release. 

As Denver travels to California for two final preseason tilts against the Clippers and Lakers, Walker enters the international free-agent market with a proven EuroLeague resume and top-tier representation, positioned to make an immediate impact abroad.

The post Nuggets Cut 27-Year-Old Guard Who Returned From Israel After Earning NBA Training Camp Invite appeared first on EssentiallySports.