The South Bay Lakers announced they have acquired forward Stanley Johnson via trade with the Rip City Remix in exchange for the returning player rights to guard Devonte’ Graham, forward Vincent Valerio-Bodon and a 2026 second-round draft pick.
Johnson is a familiar face that played 48 games (27 starts) for the Lakers during the 2021-22 season and averaged 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
He originally was selected eighth overall in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. Across eight NBA seasons playing for San Antonio (2022-23), Los Angeles (2021-22), Toronto (2019-21), New Orleans (2018-19) and Detroit (2015-19), the 28-year-old appeared in 449 regular season games (104 starts), averaging 6.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 19.8 minutes.
Johnson has played in 49 total G League games (12 starts) across five seasons for Stockton (2023-24), Sioux Falls (2022-23), South Bay (2021-22), Raptors 905 (2019-20) and Grand Rapids (2016-17), averaging 15.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.4 steals in 28.7 minutes. He became South Bay’s 40th call-up in franchise history, signing with the Lakers on Dec. 24, 2021, after averaging 15.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals in 30.6 minutes in six games (all starts).
The California native that attended Mater Dei in Santa Ana played one collegiate season at Arizona in 2014-15 and averaged 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.5 steals in 28.4 minutes. At the conclusion of the season, Johnson was awarded the Julius Erving Award, named Pac-12 Rookie of the Year, earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors and selected to the conference’s all-freshman team.
Graham is another veteran with NBA experience that South Bay acquired earlier this year. In eight Tip-Off Tournament and regular season games for South Bay this season, he averaged 13.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals in 30.9 minutes.
Valerio-Bodon appeared in 64 Tip-Off Tournament and regular season games (14 starts) across two seasons for South Bay from 2023-25 and averaged 6.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals in 20.6 minutes.
The addition of Johnson will give South Bay a point of attack defender after Jordan Goodwin recently landed a two-way contract with the Lakers, leaving a bit of a void.
Johnson played for Anadolu Efes Istanbul in Turkey to start this season although his minutes were limited in 17 games.
At just 28 years of age, it will be interesting to see how Johnson looks to finish out the season in the G League. If he plays well for South Bay, it could lead to an NBA callup from the Lakers or elsewhere.
Lakers sign Alex Len, waive Christian Wood
The Lakers also made another recent addition to the organization with the signing of Alex Len, waiving Christian Wood in order to open up a roster spot.
Len will give the Lakers some much-needed frontcourt depth, although JJ Redick will likely opt to go small at times as well.
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