Stanley Johnson joining South Bay Lakers of NBA G-League

Stanley Johnson is heading back out west.

The 6-year NBA veteran and former Pac-12 Freshman of the Year at Arizona has been acquired by the South Bay Lakers, the G-League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers based in El Segundo, Calif.

Johnson, a native of nearby Orange County, will get to play for UA alum Miles Simon, the South Bay Lakers’ head coach.

Johnson had spent the last month floating around without a team after the Chicago Bulls waived the 6-foot-6 wing ahead of the 2021-2022 NBA season.

The eighth overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, Johnson spent four years with the Detroit Pistons before he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in early 2019.

Johnson spent the past two seasons with the Toronto Raptors. Last year he averaged averaged 4.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 61 games including 13 starts.

Johnson will likely see significant playing time with the Lakers, where he’ll have an immediate supporter in Simon. Not only do the two share an Arizona connection, they also attended the same high school, Mater Dei in Santa Ana, Calif.

South Bay has only played one game so far this season, a 112-105 victory over the G-League Ignite. Its next game is Wednesday, Nov. 17 against the Ignite.