The Los Angeles Lakers had a great postseason run, though the team was eliminated in the West Finals. The Lakers settled for a Play-In seed after which they made their way into the postseason. Their roster’s quick improvement had fans name them the New-Look Lakers. Led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers mounted themselves as title contenders. D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves were the two assets who pushed the team to the third round.
Russell was traded to the Lakers during the trade deadline. Russell was previously with the Timberwolves where he averaged 18 points and 6 assists. Reuniting with the Lakers, Russell put up 17 points and 6 assists in the 17 games he played.
Playing alongside James and Davis, D’Angelo was a solid fit for the team. Though his contributions weren’t as noticeable during the postseason. Regardless, Russell has proved himself as a great asset for the team, as the Lakers offer the 27-year-old yet another contract.
D’Angelo Russell would’ve received a bag from the Lakers
As the season comes to an end for the Lakers, the team is now preparing for the next season. Recently, the Lakers have been looking to re-sign Russell, though reports say that the team won’t offer a max extension. As of now, D’Angelo is an unrestricted free agent. Though if the Lakers were to offer him a max extension, it could’ve been worth $67.5 million over a two-year tenure. While the Lakers will have their own terms for the offer, it would be better for Russell to explore his free agency.
The Lakers will not pursue a max extension with D’Angelo Russell, per @mcten.
D’Lo would have been eligible to sign a 2-year, $67.5M extension with L.A. pic.twitter.com/hzz1DE1SzB
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 26, 2023
D-Lo played for the Nets, the Warriors as well as the Wolves before joining the Lakers. His shooting percentages have improved compared to his previous seasons. Russell’s scoring abilities have seen a positive slope over the years. A player like him deserves to be on a team who doesn’t fall out of the playoff picture. Staying in the West would be a great option, with teams having quite some cap space to land a player like Russell on the roster.
The Houston Rockets have the most cap space this offseason, as D-Lo might want to check out his role on the team. While deciding to stay with the Lakers would also not hurt, showcasing more of his talents in Hollywood. It will be interesting to see what the Lakers have to offer Russell, considering his contribution to be crucial during the last few games of the regular season.