NBA
League insiders say that it might be in the Lakers’ best interest to keep D’Angelo Russell at PG for next season
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated06 Jun 2023
At the 2022-23 trade deadline, the Lakers went all-in as they acquired players to boost their roster. One position that was in dire need of an upgrade was PG. The Lakers’ answer to that was the addition of D’Angelo Russell. His playoff performances were below average for the Lakers’ needs and they lost in a sweep in the Conference Finals. Despite getting benched in Game 4, insiders say that it might be in the Lakers’ best interest to keep D’Angelo Russell at PG for next season.
Before the season had even ended, there had been multiple reports of the Lakers having an interest in other PGs for next season. The biggest name that has been circulating through the news is Dallas’ Kyrie Irving. Also getting some attention in a possible trade scenario is Toronto’s Fred VanVleet.
NBA insider Shams Charania detailed that keeping Russell for next season may be in the Lakers’ best interest. There are not many available free-agent PGs left on the market. Who knows if the Lakers would be able to land Irving or VanVleet?
“When you think about the available point guards – Fred VanVleet, Kyrie Irving… [The Lakers] best bet might be to bring back D’Angelo Russell” 👀@ShamsCharania on if the Lakers have any leverage over LeBron James#RunItBack with @MichelleDBeadle @ChandlerParsons & @bansky pic.twitter.com/bfVQApwZ2G
— FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) June 6, 2023
After a disappointing end to their playoff run, the Lakers have some decisions to make this offseason
To start the 2022-23 season, D’Angelo Russell was with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was shipped off to the Lakers at the trade deadline as their answer to an upgrade at the PG position. Russell played a total of 17 games during the regular season for the Lakers.
They had to build chemistry fast with the new-look roster. The one-time all-star was not the only player trying to find their role with the team. One reason the Lakers could be looking to now upgrade from Russell was his lack of production in the postseason.
His field goal and three-point percentages dropped in the playoffs. During the regular season, he averaged (17.8) points a game. In the playoffs, he was averaging just (13.3) points per game. His lack of production certainly held the team back at times, but the Lakers were able to teach the Conference Finals this postseason.
