There’s mutual interest between Stanley Johnson and the Lakers to reach a contract agreement, Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweets.
Johnson has been playing on a 10-day contract under the hardship exception, but that expired on Monday. The Lakers currently have no players in protocols but traditional 10-day contracts can be signed as early as Wednesday. Johnson could sign as many as two 10-day contracts, since the hardship contract didn’t count against those deals. They could also add Johnson on a standard contract.
Johnson has averaged 6.8 PPG on 45.8% shooting, 2.8 RPG and 1.2 SPG in five games, including three starts. He has also made a strong impact with his defense.
Darren Collison‘s 10-day hardship deal also expired on Monday.
We have more on the Lakers:
- They have an open roster spot due to the three-team deal that sent Rajon Rondo to Cleveland. That deal was made official on Monday. Los Angeles wasn’t eager to shed Rondo but needed the roster flexibility, McMenamin writes. “It wasn’t like we wanted to depart from Rondo,” coach Frank Vogel said. “But it’s just one of those front-office decisions that you have to make difficult decisions, and to lose a guy like Rondo is obviously very difficult.”
- The Lakers could also open up another roster spot if they waive Avery Bradley before Friday, when his veteran’s minimum contract becomes fully guaranteed, McMenamin notes in the same story.
- Malik Monk, who is on a one-year, minimum contract, has been making the most of his recent opportunities, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register writes. Monk, who has averaged 20 PPG over the last five contests, was motivated by other teams’ lack of interest in the free-agent market. “It kind of hit me hard when nobody really wanted me besides the Lakers, man,” he said. “So I just put fuel in my tank and just held it in until the time until I get time to play, man, and prove I can play for a long period of time. That’s what I’m doing right now.”
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