G League Stockton Kings make trade for 8-year NBA veteran wing defender Stanley Johnson
The G League Stockton Kings have finalized a trade for a veteran player whose size, skillset and defensive mentality might interest the NBA club in Sacramento.
A league source told The Sacramento Bee on Tuesday the Kings were acquiring the G League rights to Stanley Johnson, a 27-year-old small forward who came out of Arizona as the No. 8 pick in the 2015 NBA draft. The Kings officially announced the trade Wednesday, saying they had acquired Johnson in exchange for the returning player rights to forwards Wes Iwundu and Jericole Hellems plus a first-round pick (via Mexico City) in the 2024 NBA G League draft.
Johnson is expected to join the G League team in Stockton, but the Kings have an open roster spot in Sacramento, creating a potential pathway to the NBA.
Johnson is an eight-year NBA veteran who spent four years with the Detroit Pistons before going on to play for the New Orleans Pelicans, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. At 6-foot-7 and 242 pounds with a 7-foot wingspan, Johnson possesses impressive size, length and athleticism with a reputation as a physical and effective wing defender.
Johnson appeared in 30 games for the Spurs last season, averaging 5.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.5 steals in 15.6 minutes per game. He shot career highs of 53.3% from the field and 45% from 3-point range.
Johnson spent the previous season with the Lakers, where he appeared in 48 games with 27 starts. He averaged 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.9 steals.
Johnson was a McDonald’s All-American at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana before going on to Arizona, where he was a first-team All-Pac-12 Conference selection and Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2015.
