The Philadelphia 76ers have until June 29 to decide whether to exercise a $2.9 million team option on Lonnie Walker IV for the 2025–26 NBA season. Walker’s status is one of several unresolved contract matters as the Sixers approach the start of free agency and the 2025 NBA Draft.
Walker joined the Sixers at the trade deadline during the 2024–25 NBA season after playing earlier in the year with Zalgiris Kaunas in the Lithuanian Basketball League. In 23 games with Philadelphia, he averaged 12.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. He shot 35.4 percent from three-point range. Walker’s most productive game came against the Utah Jazz, where he scored 25 points.
Walker is from Reading, Pennsylvania, and has publicly expressed interest in remaining with the Sixers. His return is not guaranteed, as the team evaluates roster needs and financial constraints entering the offseason.
Philadelphia holds the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Among the players considered at that position are Ace Bailey and VJ Edgecombe, and both are projected to play at guard or wing positions that overlap with Walker’s role.
In addition to the draft, the Sixers have several free agency decisions. Quentin Grimes, who was acquired from the Dallas Mavericks, played 28 games with Philadelphia. Now a restricted free agent, Grimes averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. He is ranked as the second-best available shooting guard in free agency, behind only Malik Beasley of the Detroit Pistons.
Jared Butler was acquired from the Washington Wizards in a midseason trade involving Reggie Jackson. Butler played 28 games and started in 17, averaging 9.0 points per game and shooting 44.8% from the field. His contract status is pending.
Justin Edwards began the season on a two-way contract with the Delaware Blue Coats. His contract was converted to a standard NBA deal in February. He averaged 10.1 points per game and shot 45.5 percent from the field during his rookie season. The Sixers are expected to retain him.
Kelly Oubre Jr. has not formally announced a decision on his $8.3 million player option for 2025–26. Oubre signed a two-year, $16.3 million deal with the Sixers following the team’s 2024 first-round playoff loss to the New York Knicks. During the 2024–25 season, he played in 60 games and averaged 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. In April, Oubre stated that he felt his time in Philadelphia was not yet complete. He recently posted a photo on Instagram with Joel Embiid, captioned, “Mood AF. Need more of this.”
The Sixers have 11 players entering free agency and are expected to have limited salary cap flexibility following their spending during the 2024 offseason. With the addition of a high draft pick, the potential return of Grimes and Edwards, and the presence of other guards like Butler, the team must consider positional depth before deciding on Walker.
As of now, the team has not made an official announcement regarding Lonnie Walker IV’s $2.9 million option. The decision is expected by June 29.
