The Los Angeles Lakers have yet to make any significant moves this summer, but GM Rob Pelinka is working overtime to change that. According to the latest intel from Jovan Buha, the focus now for the Purple and Gold is finding a replacement for D’Angelo Russell.
“If you are the Lakers and you are looking at a potential D’Angelo Russell trade at some point, as they have been shopping him and trying to move him since opted in, it would be nice to have a layer of Spencer Dinwiddie’s caliber on your roster to where if you do flip D’Lo and it is for a big man or a wing, you don’t have to rely on Gabe Vincent or now potentially relying on Hood-Schifino.”
D’Angelo Russell, 28, was first drafted by the Lakers back in 2015 with the second overall pick. He was hoisted with big expectations from the start and while he played well in his rookie campaign (13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game) it wasn’t good enough to keep him from being traded. After just two seasons with the Lakers, Russell was traded to the Nets and nobody thought they’d ever get back together.
Fast forward to the 2022-24 campaign, and the Lakers managed to acquire D’Angelo again as part of the Russell Westbrook trade. While fans were initially excited for the reunion, things eventually turned sour when he proved to be a liability in the playoffs.
After averaging 18.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 0.9 steals per game last season, Russell failed to deliver when the Lakers needed him most and it’s why he’s been mixed up in trade rumors for months now.
With a player option on the 2024-25 season, Russell could have come off the books had he opted out of his deal to become a free agent. Instead, he chose to accept the final year of his deal (worth $18.6 million) to stay with the Lakers.
The response from Pelinka has been to look for a trade, but the problem is that there are no takers at the moment. After years of inconsistency and contributing to poor locker-room culture, D’Angelo has a certain reputation in the league and his play on the court just isn’t good enough for most teams to justify giving up assets for him.
It’s known that the Lakers have considered a trade for several players already this summer, including Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown, and Wendell Carter Jr. Unfortunately, none of those pursuits have panned out and it’s looking increasingly likely that they’ll have to run it back with the same squad that finished 7th in the West last season.
The only hope for the Lakers is that JJ Redick is able to make enough of a difference to secure a top-six spot in the West and that rookies Dalton Knecht and Bronny James can learn to contribute in a meaningful way.
As for Russell, his entire NBA future hinges on his performance next season. After failed stints with the Nets, Warriors, and Timberwolves, this contract year will be the biggest of his career and if he fails to live up to expectations it could mean the end of his days making $18+ per year and it will surely mean the end of his time with the Lakers.
