Signing an NBA contract is only half the battle for players ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, as retaining it and sticking around for the long haul is the next step toward becoming a successful contributor in the big leagues.
Unfortunately for a 6-foot-2 ex-Miami Heat guard, he’s currently behind schedule, as the Los Angeles Lakers waived him nine days after signing him.
“The Cole Swider show is back in LA, and William Kyle III will join him at Lakers training camp,” Swish Apparel’s Edwin Garcia reported last Sunday. “In related news, Meechie Johnson and Chase Ross have been waived.”
Johnson, who competed with the Heat during the 2026 Summer League and inked a training camp deal with the Lakers on Sep. 18, enjoyed a lengthy collegiate career with Ohio State (three seasons) and South Carolina (three seasons).
Johnson’s senior campaign with the Gamecocks was his most impactful, as he contributed 17.2 points, 4.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game as the program’s veteran floor general (he did finish the year with a lackluster 32.6% three-point shooting percentage, though).
Although the Cleveland, Ohio native didn’t last long with the Lakers, he’s now a prime candidate to join Los Angeles’ G-League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, and begin his professional development. In other words, Johnson’s NBA career isn’t off to the best start, but he should be ready to maximize his G-League opportunities in hopes of eventually earning a hard-fought promotion.
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