He killed it in Europe and then came back to the NBA—more than once!

Ordinarily, spotting an NBA player taking his talents to Europe in the offseason suggests his NBA career has run its course. The league is a tough place to come back to once you've left. Yet, this individual has departed the NBA on two occasions and twice secured another opportunity to play in the league.

Lonnie Walker IV inked a one-year minimum contract with the Nuggets yesterday, making his NBA comeback official. Last season, he played for Maccabi in Israel, averaging 19.7 minutes per game and putting up 15.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 steals, shooting 50.7% from the field, 40.7% from three-point range, and 81.5% from the free-throw line.

His highly efficient on-court performance became his biggest asset for returning to the NBA. More importantly, he came at a bargain price. For a Nuggets team operating on a tight budget, signing a backup ball-handler on a minimum deal was a smart move.

Lonnie Walker was the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2018 draft. He was the original "potted plant guy" of the Spurs, sporting a hairstyle that added an extra 10 centimeters to his height. Behind that strange look lies a sad story. As a child, Walker experienced sexual harassment and abuse, which made him distrust the world. His hair was the one thing he could control, and the unique style served as a form of self-protection.

Later, Walker cut off his long braids and sported a normal crew cut, signaling that he had finally let go of that painful past and moved on. After his rookie contract ended, the Spurs didn't re-sign him, and he joined the Lakers on a one-year mid-level deal.

His brief stint with the Lakers was a rollercoaster. He fell out of the rotation due to injuries and other issues, only to become a playoff hero for the team. In Game 4 of the 2023 Western Conference Semifinals against the Warriors, Walker stepped up in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 points in a single quarter to help the Lakers beat Golden State. It was one of the most memorable underdog playoff performances in recent years. In just one quarter, Walker made sure everyone remembered his name.

Walker later joined the Nets and briefly signed with the Celtics during the 2024 offseason, but he didn't make the final roster. After being cut, he couldn't find another team and instead played a season in the Lithuanian league.

That was his first departure from the NBA. A year later, he signed with the 76ers and returned. His last NBA game was with Philadelphia, where he scored 29 points. Shortly after, he left the NBA for the second time, until signing with the Nuggets yesterday.

If you think he's good, why would he leave the NBA twice? But if you think he's not good, how did he manage to come back twice and secure actual contracts, not just training camp deals? With the Nuggets, his role is somewhat similar to that of Will Barton—a chaos scorer who can provide some points off the bench during rotation minutes. His ability to handle the ball is a rare commodity for Denver right now.

Although Walker's contract is only worth $3.3 million, the Nuggets are over the second apron, so signing him means an additional $16.5 million in luxury tax, bringing the total penalty to $85.1 million. For a team that needs every dollar to count, Walker is a precise addition.

Players like Lonnie Walker are highly replaceable in the NBA. He has some three-point shooting ability, but it's inconsistent; he has some dribble penetration skills, but not enough to disrupt the opponent's defense.

When he starts, his basketball IQ doesn't allow him to stay on the court for long stretches; he's best used as a bench scorer in chaotic situations. His strengths are easily found in the talent-rich U.S., while his weaknesses—such as occasional inefficient play and subpar defense—are reasons teams might let him go.

Fortunately, after coming and going three times, Walker is still under 28. After he played the best game of his career in the 2023 playoffs, people said, "Don't worry about the road ahead; who in the world doesn't know you?" Now, three years later, as Walker returns once more, the most fitting line might be, "The face I saw before is no longer there, but the peach blossoms still smile in the spring breeze."