The Los Angeles Lakers are planning to sign Stanley Johnson to a 10-day deal Monday, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
This is Johnson’s third 10-day deal with the team. The NBA allows teams to sign a player for a maximum of two 10-day contracts, but Johnson’s first came via the hardship exemption due to COVID-19, so that didn’t allot towards the count.
Once this deal expires next week, the Lakers will need to make the ultimate decision on Johnson for the remainder of the season: either L.A. gives him the final open spot on the roster (for now) or lets him walk as an unrestricted free agent.
Johnson has expressed his desire to stay with the team for the rest of the year given the size, energy and intensity he has brought on a consistent basis, so it’ll be interesting to see how Los Angeles approaches this. Maybe the Lakers trade or let go of Kent Bazemore and/or DeAndre Jordan, two players L.A. reportedly wants to move on from.
