Wesley Johnson is going from one Los Angeles team to another after signing with the Clippers this offseason. Johnson is looking at a starting small forward role for the Clippers, according to head coach Doc Rivers, and is now in a legitimate position to contend for an NBA title, which was far from the case during his time with the Lakers.
Here are Johnson’s thoughts on how things panned out with the Lakers last season, which was considered the worst in franchise history.
From Janis Carr of the Orange County Register:
“You would go out there and want to play the right way, but everyone wanted to prove themselves,” Johnson said as the Clippers wrapped up their brief training camp at UC Irvine.
“So nobody really knew what was going on. Nobody ever knew, so it was hard for anyone to come in and get into a good rhythm or flow. Nobody was playing together.”
So when free agency rolled around this past summer, Johnson knew he didn’t want to stick around. Then the Clippers called. Not once. Not twice.
Last season also featured yet another season-ending injury for Lakers star Kobe Bryant, which only added to the confusion and anonymity amongst the team. Johnson’s position as a role player for the Lakers will be similar with the Clippers, except he’s bound to encounter more structure and a much more promising opportunity to strive towards.
