Lonnie Walker IV signs with Besiktas three days after Nuggets release

Lonnie Walker IV is heading back to Europe. The veteran guard has signed with Besiktas, the Turkish club announced, with his agent Misko Raznatovic also confirming the move on Thursday.

The signing comes three days after the Denver Nuggets waived Walker on Monday, ending his bid to make their regular-season roster out of camp. Denver’s cap situation made a 15th roster spot an expensive proposition – carrying a minimum-salary player would have added roughly $16.5 million to the club’s projected tax bill.

Walker spent last season with Maccabi Tel Aviv, averaging 15.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 22.8 minutes over 28 EuroLeague games. He signed with Raznatovic’s BeoBasket agency the same day Denver cut him, and reports said at least three EuroLeague teams were interested before Besiktas won out.

Besiktas is off to a 1-2 start in Turkey’s Basketbol Super Ligi and is 2-3 in the EuroLeague. Walker joins a roster featuring several other former NBA players, including Jaylen Nowell, Furkan Korkmaz, Ante Zizic, Devon Dotson and Wenyen Gabriel.