Every summer, trade offers circulate in Los Angeles, and many of those suggested by NBA writers this offseason include Russell as a main payroll piece, allowing the money to be used in a variety of potential transactions. Jovan Buha of The Athletic verified on Friday, July 26, that Los Angeles has been shopping Russell since he exercised his $18.7 million player option on his contract on June 29.
“[The Lakers] have been shopping him and trying to move him since he opted in,” Buha explained on his “Buha’s Block” podcast.
Russell’s trade value grows since his money will be off the books of any team he plays for next summer, freeing up salary cap space for that franchise to chase higher-end free agents.
Russell, on the other hand, has shown to be an effective offensive player for Los Angeles. Last season, he finished third on the squad in points per game (18.0) and minutes played (32.1), ahead of fellow guard Austin Reaves, who is fourth in both categories with 15.9 points and 29.7 minutes per night, according to ESPN statistics.
D’Angelo Russell has shown to be a quality scorer and floor spacer for the Lakers offence.
While relocating Russell has been a popular answer to the Lakers’ three-star dilemma — which is that they don’t have one but could clearly use one — he has supplied the offence with the shooting it need to open the floor around LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Over his nine-year career, Russell has a 36.9% 3-point shooting percentage on 6.9 attempts. According to Basketball Reference, he has a 38.1% shooting percentage on 6.0 attempts in 236 games for the Lakers over the past two seasons.
He also averaged 15.7 points, 4.9 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game for Los Angeles, helping the team to the Western Conference Finals in 2023. Russell will turn 29 next winter, about two and a half weeks after the league’s February 6 trade deadline, which is the latest the Lakers can transfer him before the summer of 2025.
Trae Young Among Players Lakers May Be Able to Target Ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline
The big concern for Los Angeles is who the organization can look for in first-round picks four and six years from now (2029, 2031) who are prepared to take on contract to better position itself for free agency next summer.
The two tactics are not entirely compatible. Most franchises trying to make a free-agent splash aren’t necessarily concerned with trading a high-end player now for potentially important draft assets later on.
The Atlanta Hawks are one squad that may meet the criteria. The Hawks traded Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans earlier this summer and chose 19-year-old French hooper Zaccharie Risacher with the first overall choice in June.
The team is definitely rebuilding and planning for the long run in what has suddenly become a top-heavy Eastern Conference with legitimate title contenders in the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, and maybe the Milwaukee Bucks.
As a result, star point guard Trae Young’s $215 million maximum deal, which keeps him under contract until the 2026-27 season, may not fit the Hawks’ timeframe. Young plays the same position as Russell, and while he has some of the same significant defensive flaws, he is one of the best playmakers in the NBA and can score in large numbers.
Young would help relieve some of James’ ball-handling and playmaking chores as he enters his age-40 season following a run through the Summer Olympics in Paris. The hypothetical deal isn’t ideal for the Lakers, but they may be unable to find a better one over the next six months.
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