The Los Angeles Lakers, at 40-38, are all set to step into the playoff spot with four more games in hand. And the six wins in the last seven games have already pushed them to the seventh position on the table. The Western Conference is jam-packed with teams closing on on each other with few distinctive points. Moreover, the Lakers are having a ball, whereas the other teams surrounding them are struggling. But D’Angelo Russell displayed concerning signs when he did not play the second half on Sunday.
The first-time head coach Darvin Ham said that Russell could have played if the team needed him. However, it was an easy win of 134-109 over the Houston Rockets last night. The young guard has shown promising performance over his time since the market trade. But his injury concerns have kept him out of action for a few weeks in the past month. Therefore the Lakers could go out searching for a player who could provide backup in Angelo’s position.
Do Lakers Want To Replace D’Angelo Russell?
Ever since joining the team, D’Angelo has been a solid player for them. It is his second spell at the Crypto arena after he left the team on a controversial note in the past. However, this time around, he was more mature and ready to help the Lakers turn their bad time around. He also suffered a hip injury during this time. But after his return in early March, he has been averaging a solid 20 points and 7.1 assists, shooting an impressive 40% from long range.
He has been a great addition to the team, but the Lakers still have a place to fill the 15-man standard squad. But the Lakers will have to bear the toll in the form of tax to bring this man. So, maybe the team could end up signing a player from the G league to complete the gaps in the team.
Five Players That The Lakers Could Sign For Postseason
Tony Snell
He is an astonishing 6’7″ small forward who would be a great fit on the team. However, Tony has had a hard time getting everything together, which makes him a little unreliable. But he has been averaging 39.4% three-point shooting on 3.1 attempts.
Nerlens Noel
He is a clear upgrade on Gabriel, who can push on both ends of the court. Noel is good at defending the rim with his life. And his size can also help the team while attacking and transitioning.
Elfrid Payton
A young 28-year-old with 6’3” height is still searching for a team who would put him on their roster. Although he could not get lucky in his previous teams, he is not a bad option as the 15th man on the team.
