Lakers Rumors: LA Discussing Trade to Bring D'Angelo Russell Back to Purple and Gold
The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly discussing a three-team deal that would bring former first-round pick D'Angelo Russell back to the Purple and Gold. Shams Charania of The Athletic was the first to report on the trade, that would send Russell to LA, and Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz.
The talks have been ongoing, and have included potential frameworks with Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt also going to the Lakers. The sides are reportedly working on draft compensation and the protection on the picks, likely the first-round pick(s) from the Lakers.
Russell was drafted by the Lakers with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. He spent two seasons in Los Angeles, before being shipped to Brooklyn in a trade that brought back Brook Lopez and got rid of Timofey Mozgov's contract.
He then played for the Nets, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves, and has been a great scoring guard at every stop.
This year, Russell is averaging 17.9 points, 6.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game on 46.5 percent shooting from the field and 39.1 percent shooting from deep.
He was an All-Star with Brooklyn in 2018-19, and has averaged 19 or more points per game in three of his eight career seasons.
While Russell wouldn't solve all the Lakers' issues, especially on the defensive end, he would be a much better fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis than Westbrook.
Russell is an above-average shooter, and will space the floor much better than Westbrook. He also isn't as ball dominant, and could play off the ball as a two-guard.
Hopefully the Lakers would only be trading one first-round pick in this potential deal, as Russell alone wouldn't solve all their problems. But hey, this is at least a start.
We'll continue to update you on the deal, if/when it becomes official and what the exact trade ends up being.
