Maccabi Tel Aviv Leaves Lonnie Walker Off Final Roster After Row Over Playoff Absences

Maccabi Tel Aviv will open the Israeli league playoff final against Hapoel Tel Aviv tonight, Tuesday, but one of its biggest names, Lonnie Walker, was not registered for Game 1 and will watch from the stands. Walker has the highest salary in club history, making his omission especially notable.

The decision follows the semifinal series against Hapoel Holon, when Walker sat out Game 1 because, he said, he could not sleep due to the security situation and sirens across Israel. He was then left off the roster for the rest of that series by the coaching staff.

Walker responded on Instagram with two stories, saying, “These are all the coach’s decisions, not mine. I work very hard to get back on the court and I am ready at any moment.” He added that he did not want to be portrayed as the villain: “I love Maccabi, the fans and everyone who supports the team. If I was really afraid, I would have gone home. My loyalty to this team and the players kept me here. I refuse to be presented as a villain when I have been a true professional all this time.”

Maccabi said the move was a professional decision, tied in part to Tamir Blatt’s injury. Because Blatt is unavailable, the staff chose to register Jimmy Clark instead, which left Walker off the match sheet. Although the club has recently said Walker has a guaranteed contract for next season as well, his future now appears uncertain, and Maccabi is reportedly considering finding him another team. That could be difficult because his salary is estimated at about $2.2 million per season.