The Boston Celtics went all out on returning their star players this summer, which didn't leave much money for big splashes in free agency. Yet, Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens worked his magic on a tight budget and landed former Brooklyn Nets guard Lonnie Walker IV on a one-year, Exhibit 10 contract, per ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski.

With an E10 deal, Walker can earn a bonus of up to $75,000 if he's waived following Celtics training camp or spends at least 60 days in Portland playing in the G League with the Maine Celtics. Although the former first-round pick is still in the prime of his career, he'll have to fight for the 15th and final spot on Boston's roster ahead of the 2024-25 regular season.

But before training camp begins in late September, let's look at the Celtics' move for Walker and grade Stevens' offseason efforts.

Grading the Celtics' Lonnie Walker signing

Brooklyn Nets guard Lonnie Walker IV (8) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Kendall Brown (10) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

With this most recent acquisition, Stevens and the rest of Boston's front office have revealed a pattern in their free agency moves. When a certain player goes off against the C's, they take notice and monitor their foe's availability during the offseason.

For instance, center Kristaps Porzingis absolutely torched Boston at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. To close the regular season, he dropped 32 points (14-21 from the field), 13 rebounds, and six assists in just 34 minutes during the Wizards' 130-111 upset win over the Celtics. A few months later, Stevens took a huge swing and traded Celtics veteran Marcus Smart for the Latvian big man. This monumental decision gave Boston a dominant shot-blocker who efficiently scored on the other end of the floor and it was one of the first steps that helped secure banner no. 18.

The Celtics also got forward Oshae Brissett, point guard Dalano Banton, and a few other subtle additions after they put on a show against Boston with their former teams. While Banton is currently with the Portland Trail Blazers and Brissett is likely leaving the Green Team this summer, they're both a part of a clear trend that could now be carried on by Walker.

With Brooklyn, the 25-year-old enjoyed playing opposite of the Celtics. Even though Boston dominated the head-to-head matchup, winning all four of its meetings with the Nets last season, Walker performed well. In those four losses, he averaged 13 points (on 57.1% shooting) in only 16.1 minutes per outing.

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And on November 10th versus the Celtics, the Pennsylvania native notched a team-high 20 points and shot a blistering 8-for-12 in 20 minutes of play. These games didn't amount to much for Brooklyn, but they likely caught the attention of Stevens and earned Walker a shot with a championship contender.

His showings against the C's weren't flukes either. Off the bench, he averaged 9.7 points in under 18 minutes per game. Moreover, in 2o23 Walker displayed his talents in the playoffs against the dynastic Golden State Warriors. The ex-Los Angeles Laker dazzled in the Western Conference Semifinals, recording all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter of Game 4 en route to a 104-101 comeback win.

Following this taste of postseason glory, it must've been difficult for Walker to go to New York and join a subpar team with plans for rebuilding and not the playoffs. That could be part of the reason why he agreed to head to Boston without a fully guaranteed contract.

Overall, Walker's arrival is a great, no-risk venture for the Celtics. Either he impresses like he did in previous seasons and makes the team or is waived (or sent to the G League) with little harm done to the Green Team's pockets.

If Walker qualifies for the final roster, he should be able to gel with the current rotations. The former McDonald's All-American came off the bench in all 58 of his games last season, meaning he's not expecting a starting role in Boston. That works for the Celtics, as guys like Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, and former San Antonio Spurs teammate Derrick White would all receive the starting nod over Walker.

Once again, it seems like Stevens has brought in a hungry, skilled player without sacrificing much. And if the best-case scenario occurs, Walker could provide scoring in droves off the pine and bolster an already star-studded group aiming for back-to-back titles.

Grade: A