Former NBA veteran Darren Collison is ending his basketball retirement to join the struggling Los Angeles Lakers. The two sides agreed to a 10-day deal on Thursday.
Lakers confirmed the move on their social media while also announcing the arrival of Stanley Johnson on a 10-day contract. Former No. 8 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Johnson started the season in G League with the South Bay Lakers.
Darren Collison has been a productive and reliable player throughout his career, which included stints with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, and LA Clippers. Collison last played during the 2018-19 season, starting 76 games with the Pacers and averaging 11.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and a career-high 6.0 assists.
After the season wrapped up, Collison hit the free agency, and several teams made a hard push to sign him. But despite lucrative offers, that included yearly salary north of $10 million, Collison walked away from basketball and retired.
Collison is expected to provide a significant boost for the Lakers’ bench and help the team with the growing list of players out due to injuries and COVID-19 protocols. The issues with availability have hit the Lakers hard and sent them on a four-game losing streak. They are currently hanging onto the No. 6 spot in Western Conference with a 16-17 record.
