February 23, 2025
Bill Streicher/Imagn Images
Lonnie Walker IV went scoreless in his Sixers debut on Saturday.
Just in the last few days, three players have signed new contracts with the Sixers. The team agreed to a two-year standard NBA deal with Reading, PA native Lonnie Walker IV while inking David Roddy and Alex Reese to two-way contracts. Walker made his brief team debut in Saturday night's loss to the Brooklyn Nets, while Roddy has logged two appearances. Reese has yet to suit up for the team.
In this week's Sunday stats, diving into some key numbers on the trio of new faces
Lonnie Walker IV's three-point attempts per 100 possessions for the Brooklyn Nets last season, a career-high figure by far.
Walker's reputation as an NBA player might have peaked during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, when he was known as a spark plug scorer off the bench. And while the Sixers do help Walker can give them occasional off-the-dribble offense, three-point volume is now the signature aspect of his offensive arsenal.
During his time in Brooklyn last season, Walker showed an encouraging willingness to fire away from beyond the arc on a regular basis. He ended up shooting 38.4 percent on his three-point tries -- a very strong clip, especially when considering the significance of his volume.
But, for what it's worth, Walker's efficiency from beyond the arc dropped in each month of the season:
| Month | Games Played | 3PA/G | 3P% |
| October | 2 | 6.5 | 53.8% |
| November | 15 | 5.5 | 45.1% |
| January | 12 | 4.3 | 39.2% |
| February | 10 | 4.6 | 39.1% |
| March | 14 | 3.8 | 28.3% |
| April | 15 | 5.2 | 26.9% |
All three of Walker's shot attempts in his Sixers debut came from three-point territory, but he came up empty.
Lonnie Walker IV's steals per 100 possessions in his NBA career.
This figure is not particularly impressive, though it is also not discouraging. Walker has been about an average defensive playmaker in his career, and the Sixers hope that he can use his athleticism and length to become more of a nuisance for opposing ball-handlers and find opportunities to create chaos.
The Sixers are hoping Lonnie Walker IV can become a defensive playmaker on the perimeter for them: pic.twitter.com/47V4NcOCgX
— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) February 21, 2025
Walker did not nab any steals on Saturday, but during a first half in which many of his teammates failed to bring the requisite defensive intensity, the newcomer did at least provide some good ball pressure.
MORE: What is going on with Sixers' horrid defense?
David Roddy's three-point percentage in his NBA career.
Whether Roddy will be on the fringes of NBA rosters for the foreseeable future or become a rotation regular for the Sixers or another team likely hinges on this improving. Roddy has not been reliable enough to knock down an open spot-up three; if he can improve his long-range accuracy he could have a future as a low-usage wing who hangs his hat on the defensive end of the floor and makes an impact on the glass.
Luckily, he does at least have the capability of doing those things...
David Roddy's listed weight (pounds).
...And this helps quite a bit. Roddy is only 6-foot-4 but still enormous, and comes with remarkable strength that allows him to play well above his height. From a positional perspective, he is somewhere between a small forward and a power forward (or both). He will never get bumped off a spot by a ball-handler, he is extremely difficult to box out and can be thrown at pretty much any wing.
MORE: Walker, Roddy talk "full circle" signings
Alex Reese's three-point attempts per game in the G League for the Rip City Remix.
Not only did Reese shoot threes at gargantuan volume in the G League this season, but he made 42.1 percent of his long-range tries. That is an absurd combination of volume and efficiency very rarely matched at any level of basketball. Reese has somehow very quickly gone from a 31.1 percent three-point shooter in college to one of the single best snipers in the G League. It is unclear if there is a path for Reese to earn regular minutes with the Sixers, but it is not hard to see why the team's front office found him to be intriguing.
Whether he plays or not, Reese has already given himself reason to be in the franchise history books...
Alex Reese's jersey number with the Sixers.
How about this? Reese is the second player in NBA history to wear No. 65. And while the first was technically not a Sixer, he was a member of the same franchise. George Ratkovicz wore the number for the Syracuse Nationals in the 1949-1950 season as a rookie, only to wear a different number in each of his six seasons. Ratkovicz was born in 1922.
MORE: Could Sixers trade Joel Embiid, Paul George this summer?
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