Warriors: Stanley Johnson could be 2020’s Glenn Robinson-esque signing
The Golden State Warriors will have limited money to spend this offseason, but for some young forgotten players like Stanley Johnson, that won’t matter.
It’s been a tough season for the Golden State Warriors. They were just 15-50 when the novel coronavirus caused the NBA to shut down for a period of time that will stretch from mid-March to late-July.
The Dubs just couldn’t get it going, and while there are silver linings, the Warriors will need to improve their roster a bit this offseason to return to championship contention although Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry will return healthy and rested.
They’ll have little money to do so though. With a trade exception and a mid-level exception, aside from those two and their 2020 first-round pick, the Warriors will be signing players on minimum-value contracts.
Like they did with Glenn Robinson III last season, the Warriors should bring in Stanley Johnson and give him a place to revive his career. A former lottery pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Johnson’s numbers and time have continued to decline.
He’s averaged over six points per game in three of his five seasons. However, this most recent season, Johnson averaged just 1.2 points while playing just 4.8 minutes per game in 20 games. That’s a brutal decline and one that will likely destroy his market.
Last offseason, Glenn Robinson III came into the period without much of a market. He signed with Golden State, a place he was able to find success and was eventually traded along with Alec Burks for three second-round picks.
Johnson could find that same success as he’s already proven to be a competent shooter. Once hailed as a top prospect, Johnson had the full package coming out of Arizona. An uber-athletic small forward with a high ceiling is what every team craves.
It hasn’t worked out so far, but neither had Robinson until he was scooped up by Golden State. The signing makes sense and something the Warriors should explore for the minimum this offseason.