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The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward Stanley Johnson to a 10-day contract, it was announced today by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.
Johnson has averaged 6.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 steal in 25.2 minutes through five games (three starts) with Los Angeles this season. He has appeared in 376 career games (80 starts) for the Raptors, Pelicans, Pistons and Lakers, averaging 6.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 19.8 minutes.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired guard Rajon Rondo from the Los Angeles Lakers in a three-team trade, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.
In the deal, the New York Knicks receive guard Denzel Valentine from Cleveland and the draft rights to Wang Zhelin (57th pick in 2016 NBA Draft) and Brad Newley (54th pick in 2007 NBA Draft) and cash considerations from the Lakers.
In addition, Los Angeles receives the draft rights to Louis Labeyrie (57th pick in 2014 NBA Draft) from New York.
Rondo (6-1, 180) played in 18 games for the Lakers this season. Over his 16-year NBA career, he has appeared in 936 games (732 starts) with the Lakers, Clippers, Hawks, Pelicans, Bulls, Kings, Mavericks and Celtics, owning career averages of 9.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.6 steals in 30.1 minutes per contest. His 7,481 assists rank 14th all-time in NBA history and are the fourth-most among active players. The veteran guard has also led the league in assists three times (2012, 2013 and 2016) and steals once (2010) while registering 32 triple-doubles and 236 double-doubles over his career.
A two-time NBA Champion (2008, 2020) and four-time NBA All-Star (2010-2013), Rondo has been named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Team four times (2009-2012), including two First Team nods (2010, 2011), and was an All-NBA Third Team selection in 2012. Additionally, Rondo has appeared in 134 playoff games (105 starts), averaging 12.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.7 steals in 34.0 minutes per game.
Rondo will wear jersey #1 with the Cavaliers.
Valentine (6-5, 218) signed with the Cavaliers on September 22, 2021 and appeared in 22 games this season.
The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Darren Collison and forward Stanley Johnson to 10-day contracts pursuant to the NBA Hardship Exception provisions, it was announced today.
Collison has appeared in 708 career games (518 starts) for Indiana, Sacramento, LA Clippers, Dallas and New Orleans, averaging 12.5 points (.471 FG%, .394 3FG%), 2.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 29.4 minutes.
Johnson has appeared in 371 career games (77 starts) for the Raptors, Pelicans and Pistons, averaging 6.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 19.7 minutes. He most recently played six games for the South Bay Lakers, averaging 15.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals in 30.6 minutes per game.
The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward Jemerrio Jones to a 10-day contract, pursuant to the NBA Hardship Exception provisions.
Jones has appeared in 11 games for the Wisconsin Herd this season, averaging 6.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals in 25.7 minutes per game. Jones returns to Los Angeles after averaging 4.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 23.8 minutes in six games (two starts) for the Lakers during the 2018-19 season
The Los Angeles Lakers requested waivers on guard Chaundee Brown Jr. and have signed guard Mason Jones to a two-way contract.
In 12 games with the South Bay Lakers this season, Jones has averaged 18.2 points (.518 FG%, .420 3FG%), 6.1 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.2 steals in 30.2 minutes per game. Jones has appeared in 32 career NBA games (one start) for the 76ers and Rockets, averaging 5.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 10.4 minutes.
A key Lakers star will be out of action until early 2022. Via the Orange County Register:
Amid a bumpy start, the Lakers (16-14) have continued to insist that at full strength they can be a contender.
But after Jaden McDaniels rolled into Anthony Davis’ left knee Friday night, that timeline got pushed back even further.
The Lakers announced Saturday an enormous injury setback for Davis, 28, who will miss at least four weeks (and could miss more) with an MCL sprain in his knee. The injury was confirmed the day after he was hurt against the Minnesota Timberwolves, when the team was able to get an MRI in Davis’ hometown of Chicago.
Not only will Davis miss a coveted matchup Sunday against the Bulls, his childhood team, but he’ll miss a month in a season quickly gone haywire for the Lakers, who have also been hammered by positive coronavirus tests in the past week.
The Lakers are just 6th in the Western conference.
Their scorers so far in 2021-22 are LeBron James at 25.7 ppg, Davis at 23.3 ppg, Russell Westbrook at 19.4 ppg, new addition Isaiah Thomas at 19.0 ppg in one game played, and Carmelo Anthony mostly off the bench at 13.2 ppg.
The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Isaiah Thomas to a 10-day contract pursuant to the NBA Hardship Exception provisions.
Thomas has appeared in 528 career NBA games (361 starts) for the Pelicans, Wizards, Nuggets, Cavaliers, Celtics, Suns, Kings and Lakers, averaging 18.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 28.8 minutes. The 10-year NBA veteran most recently played one game for the Grand Rapids Gold in the NBA G League, totaling 42 points, six rebounds, eight assists and two steals in 43 minutes.
Thomas returns to Los Angeles after averaging 15.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 26.8 minutes in 17 games (one start) for the Lakers during the 2017-18 season.
The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Craig Hughner as Director, Media Relations, President of Business Operations Tim Harris announced today.
Hughner, 41, joins the Lakers following a 15-year career in Major League Baseball. The Los Angeles native most recently held the title of Vice President, Communications for the San Diego Padres where he oversaw media relations and business/crisis communications for the organization and was responsible for internal and external communication strategy for the Padres and Petco Park.
Prior to his time in San Diego, Hughner served as Director of Media Relations for the Detroit Tigers and spent nine seasons in various baseball communications roles with the Philadelphia Phillies, including their World Series Championship in 2008. He began his MLB career as a baseball information intern for the Seattle Mariners in 2007 and worked as a production coordinator for Fox Sports in Los Angeles from 2003-06.
“We are thrilled to bring Craig back home to Los Angeles and welcome him to the Lakers family,” Harris said. “He is widely respected by his peers and brings a wealth of media relations expertise to our organization.”
Hughner received his bachelor’s degree in Communications from Washington State University (2003) and attended Seattle University’s Sports Administration & Leadership graduate program (2006-07). He was born and raised in Lomita, Calif. and is a 1998 graduate of Palos Verdes Peninsula High School.
“It’s truly a dream come true to join this historic and iconic franchise,” said Hughner. “The amount of pride I’ll feel wearing the purple and gold of my hometown team is indescribable. I am humbled and thankful for the opportunity.”
Hughner will begin his Lakers career on January 3, 2022.
The Lakers, who are still finding their way this season, will be without LeBron James for hopefully just a very brief while. Via the Los Angeles Times:
LeBron James has entered the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols and will miss the Lakers’ game tonight against the Sacramento Kings, the team announced.
According to NBA rules, vaccinated players, like James, enter the protocols either after a positive test result or after inconclusive test results. According to the protocols, a vaccinated player can return if he tests negative for the virus on consecutive tests 24 hours apart or if it’s been 10 days without symptoms.
And from the Orange County Register:
While the Lakers did not officially say what triggered the action, ESPN reported that James is expected to miss multiple games, implying that the Lakers star has tested positive for COVID-19. Players and staffers can also enter protocols for a close encounter with someone who has tested positive.
At the very least, it means that James missed Tuesday night’s game at the Sacramento Kings – and will perhaps miss much more time.
“Obviously it’s a huge loss. It’s disappointing,” Coach Frank Vogel said. “We just want the best for him right now. That’s where our thoughts are. And we have a next-man-up mindset.”
Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart has been suspended two games without pay for escalating an on-court altercation by repeatedly and aggressively pursuing Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James in an unsportsmanlike manner, and James has been suspended one game without pay for recklessly hitting Stewart in the face and initiating an on-court altercation, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.
Stewart was assessed two technical fouls, James was assessed a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2, and both players were ejected. The incident began with a loose ball foul on Stewart with 9:18 remaining in the third quarter of the Pistons’ 121-116 loss to the Lakers on Nov. 21 at Little Caesars Arena.
Per the Detroit News, “in his repeated attempts to get to James, Stewart had to be restrained by several teammates, coaches and security personnel. He looked to be calm for a moment, then raced toward the middle of the court again to try to get to James.”
Stewart will serve his suspensions Tuesday, Nov. 23 when the Pistons host the Miami Heat at Little Caesars Arena and Wednesday, Nov. 24 when Detroit faces the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum.
James will serve his suspension Tuesday, Nov. 23 when the Lakers visit the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.