Los Angeles Lakers acquired D’Angelo Russell after suffering a lotn till this February. D’Lo started his NBA career with the Lakers back in 2015. But his return to the LA franchise was crucial for the team to make the postseason. The Lakers squad had a terrible start to the season as there was no balance in the roster initially. But they turned things around after successful trades before the February deadline. Many quality players came in to fill the gap, along with D’Angelo Russell in the team.
It did not make much time for D’Lo to make himself an integral part of the team. He proved that he is quite a prolific shooter, especially beyond the arc. Moreover, D’Lo, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura played their supporting roles well in helping Anthony Davis to lead the side to the postseason. Later, LeBron James also joined the party after a month’s hiatus due to injury. On the other hand, Russell also disappointed the fans after the Lakers reached the playoffs, especially in the Western Conference Finals. He somehow lost his shooting skills at clutch moments. So, after this up and down journey, the Lakers are in dilemma to either trade D’Angelo Russell to Chicago Bulls or let him stay in the offseason.
Bulls Must Entice Lakers To Acquire D’Lo With A Good Package
Eventually, the Lakers faced a humiliating loss at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, who were on their way to becoming the new champions. They blew the LA side away by brutal 4-0. Now, the front office is looking to make a strong roaster that can reach all the way to the finals in the next season. Hence in this scenario, D’Lo, who came as a hero, is a viable trade option for the LA side. Although, if it were not for his poor display in the WCF, the situation would have been different. But now, the Lakers need to find a good deal to trade him. Among many teams who would be lucky to have D’Lo Russell, Chicago Bulls has the best chance. Moreover, they are in desperate need of a point guard and currently planning to sign in Lonzo Ball. But Ball is not healthy, and the Bulls can’t wait any longer.
Hence, in current situation, D’Lo is their best chance. But the question is whether the Bulls offer the LA side a good package to acquire D’Angelo Russell. There is a chance that the Bulls may trade DeMar DeRozan before he enters the final year of his contract. Perhaps they may try to get a sign and trade of someone with their own, like Coby White. Bulls can also trade Zach LaVine. Whatever happens, the Bulls will be happy to acquire Russell because they lack a good three-pointer shooter. On the other hand, the Lakers are in a state of confusion. They are still uncertain about who is going to stay and who’s leaving.
It Is Still Uncertain On The LA’s Frontier
After Game 4 in the WCF, LeBron James cryptically hinted at his retirement. Now, if the Lakers trade James or he leaves, then they will have $100 million more in their cap space. In the current offseason, that will be a big deal for the front office. Moreover, there is no certainty on whether they are still keen on acquiring Kyrie Irving from Dallas Mavericks. On top of that, the LA side is looking to trade Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba before June 29. Hence, there are a lot of issues that the Lakers must figure out in the offseason.