SAN ANTONIO (Dec. 21, 2020) – The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have exercised their fourth-year team option on guard Lonnie Walker IV, as well as their third-year option on forwards Keldon Johnson and Luka Samanic for the 2021-22 season.
Walker IV is entering his third year with the Spurs after appearing in 61 games last season and averaging 6.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.2 minutes. He started the last seven contests of the year and made a three-pointer in each game after earlier in the season becoming the youngest player in Spurs history to score at least 25 points off the bench when he had 28 points vs. Houston on Dec. 3, 2019. Walker IV has appeared in a total of 78 games since being selected by the Spurs in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft (18th overall).
Johnson begins his sophomore season after appearing in 17 games for San Antonio last year and averaging 9.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in 17.7 minutes. The Kentucky alum played in all eight games during the NBA Restart in Orlando and ranked sixth among rookies in scoring, averaging 14.1 points after recording multiple 20-point outings. Johnson also played 31 games for the Austin Spurs and averaged 20.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists after being selected by San Antonio in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft (29th overall).
Samanic enters his second season with San Antonio following his rookie year when he averaged 5.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 16.0 minutes over three contests, including the final game of the season when he posted 16 points to go along with 6 rebounds and 3 assists in his first career start. He also appeared in 33 games with the Austin Spurs, averaging 15.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Samanic became the fourth player born in Croatia ever to be drafted when he was selected by the Spurs in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft (19th overall).