In 2015, the Los Angeles Lakers took guard D’Angelo Russell with the No. 2 pick in the draft. The team and its fans had high hopes for him.
However, he had trouble consistently hitting shots in his first two seasons, and he showed immaturity off the court. In 2017, Los Angeles sent him to the Brooklyn Nets in the trade that brought Kyle Kuzma.
Russell returned to the Purple and Gold in February as the main chip in the Russell Westbrook trade. He had matured and had grown over the past six years, but he also showed he still has room for improvement.
Russell's regular-season stats in 17 games with the Lakers
17.4 points
6.1 assists
48.4 percent field-goal shooting
41.4 percent 3-point shooting
73.5 percent free-throw shooting
Russell's 2022-23 playoff stats
13.3 points
4.6 assists
42.6 percent field-goal shooting
31.0 percent 3-point shooting
76.9 percent free-throw shooting
Takeaways
Before Russell’s return, the Lakers struggled to make their way into the play-in tournament picture in the Western Conference. After he came back, the team seemed to be born again, and he was perhaps the biggest reason.
Westbrook’s impetuous decision-making and inconsistent play gave way to Russell’s smooth operating and more poised operating format. The 27-year-old played at a quick pace but was never in a hurry, and his smooth shooting prowess from all three levels elevated the Lakers’ offense.
Unfortunately, Russell was inconsistent during the playoffs. In the early rounds, he had several strong games, such as his 31-point, 12-of-17 performance in Game 6 of the first round versus the Memphis Grizzlies. But he struggled mightily in the Western Conference finals against the Denver Nuggets, shooting just 32.3% overall and 13.3% from 3-point range in that series.
Nonetheless, Russell is still a very good player, and unless a clearly better alternative is available, the Lakers should look to keep him on a new, reasonable contract this summer.
Final grade: B-plus
