The cycle of complexities over the trade situation of D’Angelo Russell continues to gain momentum over time. This time around, the Los Angeles Lakers point guard became vocal about his future at the franchise, citing his contract as the reason. Earning over $17 million annually, the Kentucky-born seemingly embraced the possibility of his departure from the City of Angels.
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The organization retained their 2015 draft pick in the off-season by offering him a 2-year $36 million deal. The highlight of the negotiations was the 2019 All-Star taking the brave step of waiving his no-trade clause. It provided the franchise with needed flexibility in the trade market while simultaneously putting D’Lo’s second stint in LA at risk.
Team sources confirmed this to @TheAthleticNBA. This is a significant development for LA and their flexibility at the trade deadline. Under the old rules — and had D’Angelo Russell not waived his veto rights — he would’ve had a say in any trade out of LA. https://t.co/wSJX2Z1RR6
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) July 10, 2023
Amidst the ongoing concerns surrounding his future, his current deal has become now interesting. Despite the rumors, Russell adopted a stoic approach, stating,
“I can’t control that my contract makes sense to be traded, so, just play”.
Shedding light on his decision to waive the no-trade clause last year, he mentioned, “I just thought it made sense. I know what the requirements are to be successful here”.
D’Angelo Russell: “I can’t control that my contract makes sense to be traded, so, just play.”
When asked about waiving his implied no-trade clause this summer, he said: “I just thought it made sense. … I know what the requirements are to be successful here are.”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 6, 2024
The NBA star seems to be at peace with the reality as his on-court output has started matching his earnings recently. After a slow and inconsistent start to the campaign, the Lakers guard has averaged 23.1 points per game and 6.5 assists per game in the last ten matches. His scoring from behind the arc alongside his free throw shooting percentage has also gone under massive improvement.
Yet, the possibility of a trade looms over the head of the 27-year-old as the franchise aims to recruit different profiles of players. So, the facilitator has admittedly accepted that certain aspects of the NBA remain beyond his control, because of which he is shifting his entire focus to enhancing his ability as an offensive threat.
What does the future hold for D’Angelo Russell?
The recent surge in the stat line has restored the faith of the entire fanbase in the backcourt player. Despite that, the franchise is reportedly looking for a two-way guard to strengthen their defensive core on the floor. Dejounte Murray from the Atalanta Hawks remains a front-runner to join the LA side before the trade deadline day.
Amidst the ambitious nature of the approach, the organization might struggle to recreate the attacking output of its current point guard. Evan Turner precisely pointed that out as he backed D’Lo on X (formerly Twitter). “D Russ a diff player with the rock, if the lakers trade him then they just going to be looking for another player like him,” the former NBA player stated.
D Russ a diff player with the rock, if the lakers trade him then they just going to be looking for another player like him. 16 ppg with 6 assists while shooting 48% from floor
Come on now, that’s I hoop for real
— Evan Turner (@thekidet) January 22, 2024
With his contract situation putting him in a disadvantageous position, the Lakers are taking their time before finalizing their decision. Despite the apparent unfair nature of the business, this puts into perspective the ruthless side of the NBA trade market. As the management continues to consider its representatives as either assets or liabilities, D’Lo is destined to fall under one of those categories soon.
