Former Arizona Wildcats standout Stanley Johnson is on the move again.
The four-year NBA veteran is an unrestricted free agent after the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday declined to extend Johnson a qualifying offer, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Sources: The Pelicans have declined to extend a qualifying offer to forward Stanley Johnson, making him an unrestricted free agent. Johnson, 23, is a strong defender and will receive interest from several teams. Allows Pelicans to now have upwards of $28M in open space.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 27, 2019
Johnson, 23, was part of a three-team trade in February that sent him from the Detroit Pistons to the Pelicans. New Orleans paid the remaining $3.9 million of the forward's four-year, $12.8 million deal he signed with Detroit in 2015.
Johnson was the No. 8 overall draft pick out of Arizona that year.
The Pelicans have made one of the biggest splashes in the young NBA offseason, landing Zion Williamson with the No. 1 pick in the draft while later adding Virginia Tech's Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Texas' Jaxson Hayes and Marcos Louzada Silva of Brazil.
The Pelicans also agreed to trade All-Star Anthony Davis to the Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round picks, including this year's No. 4 overall selection. New Orleans on draft night paired that 2019 lottery pick with a future second-rounder and former Arizona Wildcat Solomon Hill in a trade to the Atlanta Hawks for additional draft picks.
Hill was due $13.2 million next season.
Johnson averaged 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in three and a half seasons with Detroit. He made 64 starts, but never started a game for New Orleans in his 18 games there.
Johnson's qualifying offer would have been worth nearly $4.9 million next season. He's an above-average defender who will warrant at least that much in free agency, which commences at 3 p.m. Sunday.
