Subscribe now
Gonzaga Basketball

Lakers sign former Gonzaga forward Johnathan Williams to two-way contract

Lakers forward Johnathan Williams and Sacramento’s De'Aaron Fox scramble for a loose ball during an NBA summer league contest. (RICH PEDRONCELLI / AP)
By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com(509) 459-5585

Former Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Johnathan Williams is back with the Los Angeles Lakers organization.

The Lakers announced Friday they’ve signed Williams to a two-way contract and waived forward Travis Wear to keep their roster at 16 players. NBA rules permit teams to have up to two two-way contracts in addition to their 15-man regular-season roster.

Williams, who was waived last Saturday, averaged 6.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per game for the Lakers in the preseason.

Two-way contracts allow players on the fringe of making the roster to earn as much as $385,000 instead of the G League base salary $35,000. Players on two-way contracts generally spend most of the season in the G League (the South Bay Lakers, in Williams’ case) and are limited to 45 days with the NBA club.

The Lakers were outrebounded 54-46 in a 128-119 loss to Portland in Thursday’s season opener.