The Shiga Lakestars released star guard Kejuan Johnson on Tuesday, two days after he scored a season-low one point.
Johnson joined Shiga after a dynamic 2014-15 campaign, when he was named the bj-league's regular-season MVP while playing for the Sendai 89ers. He led the league in scoring (23.8 points) and steals (2.7) and was No. 3 in assists (4.9).
The Lakestars (7-5) are fifth in the 12-team Western Conference, and have lost three of their past four games.
When contacted by The Japan Times on Tuesday, Johnson, a Long Beach State alum, declined to comment.
Shiga Lakestars general manager Shinsuke Sakai issued a statement on Tuesday. He said, "Because (Johnson) was not able to adjust to the team, I had to cancel the contract."
This season, Johnson averaged 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 12 games for the Lakestars. He scored a season-high 24 points on Oct. 16 against the Rizing Fukuoka, and since scoring 23 on Oct. 25 against the Takamatsu Five Arrows, his point total dipped to 14 and 10 on Nov. 7 and 8 against the expansion Kanazawa Samuraiz.
Last weekend, Shiga played host to the defending champion Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix, losing 76-68 and 65-58. Johnson had 12 points on 4-for-11 shooting in the series opener in 24 minutes. On Sunday, he was 0-for-7 from the field and 1-for-4 at the free-throw line in 11 minutes, a season-low total.
Shiga Prefecture native Yu Okada is the Lakestars' leading scorer (16.3 ppg) and newcomer Julian Mavunga is second (16.0).
Shiga, coming off the franchise's first trip to the Final Four in May, has struggled at home this season, dropping three of its first four.