The Lakers made a widely expected move official on Thursday, bringing back Stanley Johnson for his first of two allowable non-hardship 10-day contracts. The move meant that Johnson was able to participate in the team’s 12th practice of the season, and head coach Frank Vogel was happy about his return after missing a game against the Sacramento Kings while the team waited to legally be able to sign normal 10-day deals.
“We’re excited to have him back obviously. He played well under the hardship contract for us, and just provided an element of defense, toughness and athleticism that we’ve been lacking,” Vogel said.