The San Antonio Spurs need a jolt and Lonnie Walker IV may be exactly what they need.
The 18th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft is on the verge of making his pro debut after missing the past two months after suffering a right medial meniscus tear in his knee. Walker will debut with the Spurs' G-League affiliate, the Austin Spurs, this Friday night versus the Agua Caliente Clippers.
On Tuesday, the 6-foot-5 shooting guard spoke about how close he is to making his actual debut with the Spurs -- the NBA team, of course.
Via Tom Orsborn of San Antonio Express-News:
"I will be playing down in Austin for a few days, (with) minute restrictions and stuff," Walker said. "Just trying to get a rhythm, get a feel for the game. It's been a little while, so my time will come. It's going to be very soon and I will be officially back up (with the Spurs)."
While Walker IV will not be in the lineup, yet, the rest of San Antonio's roster will be back in action on Wednesday night when they travel to Minnesota for a showdown with the Timberwolves (8 p.m. ET -- watch on fuboTV with the NBA League Pass extension).
Walker suffered his injury on October 5 during a preseason game versus the Detroit Pistons. It was the only preseason game he appeared in, scoring six points in five minutes of action. The injury was in the same knee as an injury he suffered prior to his lone season at the University of Miami in the summer of 2017.
Prior to his injury, the rookie guard was expected to have a regular role in the rotation. The Spurs are just months removed from losing Manu Ginobili, Danny Green and Kyle Anderson, all key players at the shooting guard position from last season.
Despite his injury, Walker remains optimistic just weeks after the severe setback.
"Any adversity that comes my way, it's easy for me," he said. "I have a very strong mentality and I know how to approach this. It's my second time doing this, and I know how to work on it and keep that confidence level at an even keel."
In Walker's absence, the Spurs have produced mixed results. While DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge have been nothing short of amazing, the rest of the five-man lineup has been rather pedestrian. San Antonio has gone with makeshift lineups that have featured the likes of Bryn Forbes, Derrick White, Dante Cunningham and Jakob Poeltl. The team is currently 10-10 and just on the outside of the playoff race.
The debut of Walker could give San Antonio the juice they need to make a playoff run for the 22nd consecutive season, which would tie the NBA record for most consecutive playoff appearances by one franchise.
