3 Undervalued free agents the Toronto Raptors can buy low on this summer

1. Lonnie Walker IV

The Raptors could use all the help they can get in the three-point shooting department, and that's where current Brooklyn Net Lonnie Walker IV comes in. Drafted 18th overall by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2018 NBA Draft, Lonnie Walker IV spent four seasons there before he departed for the bright lights of Los Angeles in the 2022 offseason. It was during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers that Walker IV attracted the attention of the media as well as a superstar from an opposing team.

During Game 4 of the 2023 Western Conference Semifinals, Lonnie Walker IV came off the bench and proceeded to torch Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors with a 15-point performance in the fourth quarter. He became the first bench player in Lakers franchise history to record 15 or more points in a playoff game since Kobe Bryant in 1997. Walker IV came up big when his team needed a boost and it helped secure them the 104-101 victory that night. Furthermore, Steph Curry himself gifted Walker IV a signed jersey that read "Will never forgive you for Game 4".

After raising his stock in the 2023 Playoffs, it was surprising to see Lonnie depart Los Angeles to sign a minimum deal with the Brooklyn Nets. It seemed like he was in line to receive a solid payday from a team with cap space, although Walker IV had other plans on his mind. In Brooklyn, Walker IV continued to be a serviceable shooter, knocking down 38% of his three-pointers this past season, and finishing top-10 in guards pull up 3PT%.

Early on, it even looked like Lonnie could be on track to be in the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award race, after a very impressive Fall stretch. An untimely hamstring injury put an end to that campaign and Walker IV's game took a bit of a hit throughout the rest of the season.

Lonnie Walker IV can be streaky at times, but that's his player archetype at this point. But when he's on, you know he's tapped in, just look at what he did to the Warriors. Toronto currently has a talented shooting guard in Gary Trent Jr. on their roster, however, he is approaching free agency this offseason. There is some uncertainty surrounding Trent's future with the team as his market value may not align with the Raptors' plans moving forward, or he may just opt to leave outright. It would be nice to retain Gary, but if he's off the table, then Lonnie Walker IV is your guy.

Considering he is also the same age as Trent Jr. at 25 years old, Walker IV could fit right in with the Raptors' younger peers and the team could figure out how to maximize his shooting prowess. He isn't a striking prospect, but you know what you're getting with Lonnie, and his strengths help fix one of the Raptors' current weaknesses.