Looks like Los Angeles Lakers are trying to find ways to keep D’Angelo Russell. He started his NBA career in LA in 2015. Since then, he has moved to a lot of teams and returned to where he started last February. After his homecoming, things changed, and he helped his team reach the playoffs. However, Russell did not perform as well as expected in the playoffs. He really let down the team in the conference finals against Denver Nuggets.
Hence, many experts and fans believe that the Lakers should trade him in the offseason. Moreover, D’Lo is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. There are many scenarios where the Lakers can use him as a viable option for trades. Currently, the front office of the LA side is trying to find the best sign and trade deal for D’Lo. But if they are unable to find the most suitable deal, then the best thing for the Lakers to do is to re-sign D’Angelo Russell.
Lakers Can Re-Sign D’Angelo Russell With A Two Year Contract Extension
According to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, the Los Angeles side can possibly sign a two-year deal with D’Angelo Russell. Right now, the front office must have the upper hand, as D’Lo had a terrible WCF. Hence, they can give him a player option in the second year and pay him more of what he wants in the first year. As a result, D’Lo will have the same timeline as LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Moreover, James’ and AD’s contract ends next year; where LeBron will have a player option next year, but Davis will have a termination option in 2024. Although he will be eligible for a contract extension next year.
The Los Angeles Lakers also have ownership of the Bird’s Rights of D’Angelo Russell. Hence, Rob Pelinka’s team can offer him more than their cap space. But the Lakers won’t have to offer him a maximum contract because of the awful postseason D’Lo had. Hence, they will be looking at discounts for the point guard. Meanwhile, Jovan Buha thinks the Lakers should equally prioritize the D’Angelo Russell contract as they do with Chris Paul’s contract. For instance, they can use D’Lo as an asset, and in the next season, they can find a better point guard and trade him for a good deal. Until that happens, the Lakers should not let Russell go. He can be as handy as it can get.
D’Lo Can Play The Role Of An Asset For Future Trade
The LA side must be careful to maintain balance in the roster. They would not want to repeat what happened in the last offseason. Apparently, the Lakers had no balance but many injury-prone players. Hence, keeping the balance would be a top priority. If the Lakers give up D’Angelo Russell, they might face a lack of balance, especially in the offense of the team. Moreover, the Los Angeles Lakers will try their best to push for another championship next year. It might be the last chance for LeBron James to win his fifth ring.