LeBron James Highly Praises Former Lakers Forward For Earning His Respect Years Ago

Should the Lakers bring him back this summer?

The Los Angeles Lakers have had a lot of turnover across their roster over the last few seasons. This is in part due to the lack of success on the court but also due to financial concerns within the salary cap.

However, entering into this crucial offseason, the Lakers front office will be tasked with finding some gems in free agency once again. They still have stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, unless James decides to bolt through his own potential free agency.

James has been a fan of many players that have come through the Lakers organization during his tenure and he has been in the league for over 20 years. He has played against many players and has fought different battles against players.

In the latest episode of his podcast "Mind the Game" with former NBA guard JJ Redick, James heavily praised a former forward of the Lakers. Redick asked James if there were any defenders that earned his respect over the years after a playoff series and he mentioned former Lakers forward Stanley Johnson from a playoff series against the Detroit Pistons back in 2016.

"Stanley Johnson, he earned my respect in that first round series. Stanley Johnson, he had the lateral movement, he had the physicality. You could tell that the coaching staff told him, don't worry about the schemes."

Johnson played James tough during the series and eventually became a teammate of his in Los Angeles. While he never became a star. Johnson has been known for his tough defense and ability to knock down three-point shots at a decent rate.

He could be an option for the Lakers this offseason on a cheap deal to give the team more depth. If anything, he could give them another wing player to have on the roster as they build a team with limited cap space.

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