D’Angelo Russell’s trade reached an all-time high this month as he struggled to get shots and playing time with the Lakers. But now, in the middle of a particularly tense filming sequence, things have turned against Russell, and he wants the world to know. “I’m trying to make new headlines,” D’Lo said of his dominance. “You all talk about trade or something… I’ll have to talk about my photography sometime.
D’Lo was feeling good after the win against Golden State, where he had 28 points and five assists in 49 minutes. In this competition, he was full of confidence and took on the jumpers without hesitation. That type of performance is what the Lakers need from D’Angelo and what they’ve been looking for since their 2020 win. It remains to be seen if Russell can match his game, but all signs are positive when he plays on the trade block.
Will the Lakers take Tade Russell?
As the Lakers struggle to win on the court, general manager Rob Pelinka is doing everything he can to improve his team’s chances. With one star in place, Pelinka needs to find role players to fill out the roster, but finding the right one isn’t easy, especially if you let someone go.There are no ongoing offers yet, but that may change if the right opportunity presents itself. As valuable as Russell is to them, his struggles on defense and consistency make him unreliable in the playoffs and they might be better off finding someone more consistent with their game.
Of course, now that D’Lo is out, he’s not very likely to be traded, and the Lakers can keep this group together. In fact, what happens in the playoffs will determine the future of this team and who they enter the latter part of the LeBron James era with.
