The Lakers and Stanley Johnson have reportedly agreed on signing the forward to a two-year deal, per NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Forward Stanley Johnson has agreed to a new two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Johnson’s final 10-day contract expires Wednesday, but his contagious defense, energy and play earn him a guaranteed rest of the year.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 26, 2022
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the second year of the deal is team-controlled. Woj further reports that the Lakers decided to keep Johnson in their 15th spot because of reported willingness to agree on a team option for ’22-23. Johnson agreeing to the team-friendly contract will help the Lakers be flexible for free agency over the summer.
Since signing a hardship exemption with the Lakers back in December, Johnson has established himself as a much-needed defensive-minded force for a mediocre team fighting to make the playoffs. In the 14 games he played in the purple and gold, Johnson has averaged 6.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 21.2 minutes per game.
Johnson has averaged 8.4 points over his previous five games on 60 percent shooting from the field and 50 percent from downtown. He returned to the starting five for the 106-96 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
