Sources: Walton Jr. signs 1-year deal with Phoenix

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May 2, 2024, 01:10 PM

Derrick Walton Jr. -- the 2023 NBL Championship Series MVP -- has signed a one-year deal with the South East Melbourne Phoenix, sources told ESPN.

Walton Jr., the six-foot point guard who won the 2023 title with the Sydney Kings, will join a Phoenix team that has retooled in a significant way going into the 2024-25 NBL season.

The 29-year-old is currently playing for the Zhejiang Lions in the Chinese Basketball Association. During his time with the Kings during the 2022-23 season, Walton Jr. averaged 15.9 points and 6.2 assists per game, and was named to the All-NBL First Team.

He played a significant role in the Kings' 2023 championship-winning campaign, walking away with the Larry Sengstock Trophy for the Championship Series MVP.

The Phoenix were among the teams in contention to sign Will McDowell-White, sources said, but the Australian point guard instead chose to explore his options in Europe. The team shifted its focus to the import point guard market, and quickly landed on Walton Jr.

The Phoenix have been among the busiest teams over the course of NBL Free Agency, acquiring Nathan Sobey and Angus Glover via 'trades', effectively, as well as signing Jordan Hunter to a three-year deal.

Walton Jr. joins that list of off-season acquisitions, with Mike Kelly's team signing a point guard who spent three seasons in the NBA -- with the Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons, and Los Angeles Clippers -- as well as experience playing in the EuroLeague.

Walton Jr. joins Mitch Creek, Sobey, Glover, Hunter, Ben Ayre, Matt Kenyon, and Owen Foxwell as contracted players on the Phoenix going into the 2024-25 season. The team remains on the hunt for an import wing, sources said.