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 cope with the Lakers final offseason that included this participant choice. 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 depart the Lakers for nothing. Nonetheless, with Russell opting in, the Lakers will both carry again their start line guard or have additional wage to make use of in a commerce.
Russell has had two robust common seasons with the Lakers since becoming a member of the workforce in 2023. He averaged 17.4 factors in his last 17 video games of the 2022-23 season, after which put up 18 factors and 6.3 assists per recreation whereas breaking the Laker report with 226 whole 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 recreation within the 2023 Western Convention finals, after which shot under 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 along with his well-known defensive weaknesses make him a troublesome match for a Lakers workforce with lofty postseason ambitions. He was an improve on Russell Westbrook when the Lakers had been determined, and his capability to run the offense for prolonged stretches helped preserve LeBron James wholesome, however now that he has opted in, the Lakers will doubtless take into account him as a commerce chip.
Their books sorely wanted his wage for that goal. 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 doubtless commerce choices, the Lakers had been fairly restricted within the sorts of gamers they may pursue. Including Russell’s $18.7 million to the combination provides them extra flexibility to hunt out assist.
The Lakers have had a busy offseason already, hiring JJ Redick to be head coach and selecting 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 will genuinely compete subsequent season, and experiences have indicated that LeBron James nonetheless very badly needs to win on the highest ranges. They’ve a methods to go to make that potential, however preserving the Russell contract on their books is a small step in the suitable route.