While nearly every free agent signing or acquisition the Lakers made during the offseason underwhelmed — Malik Monk and Austin Reaves notable exclusions — effectively all of their in-season free agent signings panned out, led by Stanley Johnson. At a time the Lakers needed a spark amid a COVID outbreak, Johnson stepped in and excelled back in his hometown.
He became an integral piece of the team’s rotation to close out the year, earning himself a two-year contract in the process. That deal, though, includes a team option for the 2022-23 season.