The Jazz have waived forward Stanley Johnson, according to Sarah Todd of The Deseret News (Twitter link).
The Jazz are facing a roster crunch with 17 players on guaranteed standard contracts, and with the regular season limit set at 15, they’ll need to release at least one more player by October 17. Utah will be on the hook for Johnson’s fully guaranteed $2,351,521 salary in 2022/23 if he goes unclaimed on the waiver wire.
Johnson was acquired by the Jazz as a salary-matching piece in the trade that saw Talen Horton-Tucker head to Utah, with Patrick Beverley sent to the Lakers. As Danny Leroux of The Athletic notes (via Twitter), the Lakers cannot sign Johnson for the rest of the league year due to a rule in the collective bargaining agreement.
According to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link), the Jazz tried to deal Johnson this week and were unable to find any takers despite playing decently for Los Angeles last season and having some good moments for Utah during preseason.
He averaged 6.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.7 APG and 0.9 SPG on .466/.314/.716 shooting in 48 games (27 starts, 22.8 MPG) for the Lakers in ’21/22.
The eighth overall pick of the 2015 draft, Johnson has played for the Pistons, Pelicans and Raptors in addition to the Lakers. His relative lack of an offensive game is the main reason why he struggled to find an NBA contract last season before landing a 10-day hardship deal with Chicago last December (he never played for the Bulls), then multiple 10-day deals and later a two-year contract with the Lakers.
Really? I guess they do have multiple guys at his position, but still somewhat surprised, considering we’re not sure what’s happening with Rudy Gay.
I think teams like Brooklyn, Charlotte, Dallas, the Heat, Bulls should all have some type of interest, and maybe Phoenix after they lose Crowder
There are currently a lot of players available I would think would be of interest to teams. More evidence that expansion is needed, more control over a couple of extra G-league guys, now that there are 30 g-league teams, or possibly, a more limited 3rd 2 way player
Bulls tried Stanley and spit him out already…
So what value do the rest of the vet son the Jazz have?
16 first round protected picks according to Ainge. I’d like some of what he’s smoking.
Exactly. Why are they trying to be semi decent with all these vets. It’s just slowing down the rebuild. A bunch of mediocre picks isn’t what I’d call a successful rebuild. Relies too much on chance someone good falls to them.
This year’s Jazz team clearly needs more talented offensive players. Those types don’t usually fall past the lottery. I sure hope they realize this sooner than later. Although, if the preseason is any indication then I have nothing to worry about. Lol
I dont know how many open roster spots they have now?
Maybe they need to waive Johnson now to complete a good trade on some of the vets? A massive multi-team trade with 5 incoming and two outgoing contracts for example :)
They’re now down to 16 guaranteed contracts. They still need to get rid of one more contract before the deadline. Zeller is on a camp deal. Juzang and Potter are on 2-ways.
I think with the impressive play of Walker Kessler and Olynyk, they’ll likely move or waive Doke. I would’ve preferred Rudy Gay but coach has a connection to him from the Spurs so I doubt he’ll waive RG.
The other possibilities are Butler and Bolmero. I didn’t see them play in the final preseason game. They could’ve been alternating guys, but Johnson didn’t play and got waived after. Although, I could see them trying to do a last minute trade before they waive any of these 3.
If they only waive one then I’d guess Bolmero or Butler. Doke’s size and athleticism alone make him more valuable. I’m just not sure it’s wise to waste anymore hope on him.
I’d rather keep Bolmero than either. However, the Jazz don’t seem to be rational lately, so it’s anyone’s guess. Lol
Arg! I guess the Jazz didn’t like his defense enough to look past his offensive limitations. The league really does need more 2-way contracts for each team.
It’ll be especially important if they decide to allow 18 year olds to be drafted again. Although, I really hope they don’t. The league had too many really immature kids who did dumb things. That extra year after high school really does help them mature enough to better handle all that money.
Quote: “… according to Sarah Todd of The Desert News”
It’s “Deseret News”.
Donovan Mitchell was not a lottery pick.
13th overall isn’t lotto? gotcha.
He was a lottery pick, but a lower lottery pick = midrange pick. But even then, how likely is a Donovan pick going to happen? Every year? For the draft maybe but not for the same team and even then it’s very notable.
How many teams passed on him? How many passed on Desmond Bane. Doesn’t mean these guys don’t have glaring holes in their games. Bane has short arms. Donovan is only 6’1″.
How many championship teams have their leading scorer as the PG and isn’t the best shooter of all-time?
He was a lottery pick, period, the same way a midrange 15-18 pick is not a lottery pick.
Stanley Johnson, as I mentioned year’s ago, is not an nba player. He has an nba motor, sure, but in today’s game (at the nba level) you gotta have some skills to go along with playing hard.
He can excel at the GLeague level (who can’t?) and maybe get called up for a few more well-paying cups of coffee.
Nothing wrong with that!
Stanley’s shot looked better this preseason but every year there are 60 plus new players pushing guys out of the league. He will get paid this year. And hopefully he will go to the gym and keep working on his shot. I think the Wizards would be a good landing spot they need wing D bad.
Detroit passed on Devin Booker to draft Stanley Johnson.
I remember on draft day Stanley Johnson giving an interview right after being drafted and expressing how upset he was that 7 teams “passed” on him before he was picked 8th. He angrily vowed to prove those 7 teams wrong.