Philadelphia 76ers guard Lonnie Walker IV has been diagnosed with a concussion and will enter the NBA’s concussion protocol, the team announced Thursday.
Walker suffered the injury just 20 seconds into Wednesday night’s game against the Toronto Raptors after hitting his head on the court. He did not return to the game and will be evaluated daily as he works through the league’s concussion guidelines.
Walker, who recently returned to the NBA after a brief stint with Zalgiris Kaunas in the EuroLeague, has played in 10 games for Philadelphia this season. He is averaging 8.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 19.2 minutes per contest.
The injury added to an already depleted 76ers roster, which was without Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Kyle Lowry in the 118-105 loss to the Raptors. Quentin Grimes led the team with 29 points, while Jeff Dowtin Jr. scored a career-high 20 against his former squad.
Toronto controlled the game behind strong performances from AJ Lawson, Jared Rhoden, and Orlando Robinson, who each scored at least 25 points. The Raptors dominated on the glass with a 59-40 rebounding advantage and outscored Philadelphia 44-34 in the paint.
Philadelphia has now lost eight straight road games and five of its last seven overall. With Walker sidelined indefinitely, the Sixers will continue to rely on their depth as they push through a challenging stretch of the season.
