D’Angelo Russell is opting into the ultimate 12 months and $18.7 million of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, based on The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Russell, whom the Lakers acquired on the 2023 commerce deadline, signed a two-year take care of the Lakers final offseason that included this participant possibility. With commerce rumors swirling round him at each the deadline and through this offseason, there was some worry that he would possibly decide out and go away the Lakers for nothing. Nonetheless, with Russell opting in, the Lakers will both deliver again their place to begin guard or have further wage to make use of in a commerce.
Russell has had two sturdy common seasons with the Lakers since becoming a member of the crew in 2023. He averaged 17.4 factors in his remaining 17 video games of the 2022-23 season, after which put up 18 factors and 6.3 assists per sport whereas breaking the Laker file with 226 complete 3-pointers final season. Nonetheless, Russell struggled mightily in consecutive playoff sequence in opposition to the Denver Nuggets, each of which the Lakers misplaced. He averaged a pathetic 6.3 factors per sport within the 2023 Western Convention finals, after which shot beneath 39% from the ground within the first spherical in opposition to Denver final season. He was benched for Sport 4 in 2023 however began all 5 video games final postseason.
Whereas Russell is a powerful offensive participant within the common season, these playoff points mixed together with his well-known defensive weaknesses make him a troublesome match for a Lakers crew with lofty postseason ambitions. He was an improve on Russell Westbrook when the Lakers have been determined, and his skill to run the offense for prolonged stretches helped hold LeBron James wholesome, however now that he has opted in, the Lakers will seemingly take into account him as a commerce chip.
Their books sorely wanted his wage for that objective. The Lakers have 4 different gamers incomes between $10 million to $20 million: Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent. That is the optimum vary for buying and selling functions as a result of it’s a sufficiently small quantity to be traded individually for a single, non-star participant, however sufficiently big that, when lumped with different contracts, can absorb a really costly acquisition. The issue right here is that the Lakers view Reaves and Hachimura as long-term core items. With solely Vincent and Vanderbilt as seemingly commerce choices, the Lakers have been fairly restricted within the sorts of gamers they might pursue. Including Russell’s $18.7 million to the combo offers them extra flexibility to hunt out assist.
The Lakers have had a busy offseason already, hiring JJ Redick to be head coach and choosing Dalton Knecht and Bronny James within the NBA Draft. These strikes are splashy, however they have not precisely modified a lot when it comes to the on-court product. The Lakers want to enhance if they’re going to genuinely compete subsequent season, and studies have indicated that LeBron James nonetheless very badly desires to win on the highest ranges. They’ve a methods to go to make that attainable, however holding the Russell contract on their books is a small step in the correct path.
