The Los Angeles Lakers may have been swept out of the Western Conference Finals, but entering the offseason there’s real hope that they can build on the postseason run they put together.
After the trade deadline, the Lakers played like one of the best teams in the NBA and D’Angelo Russell played a large part in their turnaround. Russell’s second stint with the team that originally drafted him went better than anyone could hope as they advanced farther into the playoffs than expected.
Although Los Angeles didn’t reach its ultimate goal of winning a championship, Russell was pleased with the half season he and the team had together.
“Complete success. Honestly. It’s been a great time, it’s been a great experience. To come back and be in this position as prepared as I was, give myself a pat on the back for that one. Being able to just adjust and just get thrown into the fire with the team and try to figure it out on the fly and make it to the Western Conference Finals. A complete success. I really can’t really complain about anything besides the ball going in when I wanted it to. But other than that, I enjoy my time and it was what it was.”
Russell struggled shooting the basketball through various points of the playoffs, most notably against the Denver Nuggets when he was even moved to the bench for Game 4. However, Russell previously expressed his desire to stay with the Lakers and without any feasible ways of replacing him, they would be wise to try and come to some sort of agreement.
Keeping Russell would also be a smart move because L.A. has lacked continuity and chemistry the past several years, key ingredients that make up for championship teams. While Russell might never top out as more than a solid starting guard, the Lakers should seriously consider running back the roster and taking their chances next season. A training camp and full season together could be what helps take the purple and gold back to the top.
Mavericks have no interest in sign-and-trade involving D’Angelo Russell for Kyrie Irving
Although Russell has publicly said he’d love to be back, the team might have other ideas as they could instead be looking to use him in sign-and-trade situations. One popular name is Kyrie Irving, though reports have the Dallas Mavericks being uninterested in trading their star for Russell.
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