Why are LA Lakers unable to sign Stanley Johnson off waivers despite him being a free agent? Understanding the re-signing rule for trades

Over the weekend, the San Antonio Spurs waived Stanley Johnson, a valuable wing player who is now available to other teams as a potential addition to their roster. However, one team that is prohibited from claiming or signing him is the LA Lakers, as they were the most recent team to trade him.

This effectively limits the Lakers' options, as they are unable to pursue him due to the league's regulations.

Last season, Johnson played well for the Lakers, providing valuable minutes. In 48 games, he averaged 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists, while shooting 46.6%, including 31.4% from three-point range.

He started 27 games, showcasing his reliability and versatility. However, in August, the Lakers traded Johnson, along with Talen Horton-Tucker, to the Utah Jazz as part of the trade that landed Patrick Beverley. The Jazz eventually waived Johnson in October, leading him to sign with the Spurs in December.

The rule preventing the Lakers from signing Johnson

The NBA has a rule called the "reacquisition rule" that prohibits a team from re-signing a player it has traded away for a specific period of time. This rule is designed to prevent teams from circumventing salary cap rules by trading away a player to another team and then immediately re-signing them to a new contract.

Specifically, if a player is traded, the team that traded him cannot re-acquire the player until at least one year has passed since the trade.

The reacquisition rule is an important part of the NBA's salary cap structure that helps to ensure a level playing field for all teams and prevent unfair practices that could give some teams an unfair advantage.

Why the NBA instituted the rule

The NBA instituted the rule in 2010 after a controversial trade involving the Zydrunas Ilgauskas. In February 2010, Ilgauskas was traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Washington Wizards as part of a three-team deal. However, he never played a game for the Wizards and was bought out of his contract.

After 30 days, Ilgauskas re-signed with the Cavaliers for a lower salary, allowing them to free up salary cap space. This move by the Cavs was seen as a circumvention of salary cap rules by many, as it allowed the team to keep a valuable player at a lower salary.

In response, the NBA instituted the rule which requires that if a player is traded and then re-signs with their original team within one year, the player must receive a salary that is at least equal to what they were making before the trade.