(Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Playing for the Los Angeles Lakers isn’t for everybody.
Some players struggle under the bright lights, and the constant media pressure doesn’t make things any easier for them.
That might as well be the case with D’Angelo Russell, who hasn’t been at his best in either of his two stints with the Purple and Gold.
However, despite that, Jovan Buha of The Athletic, via NBACentral, reports that the team is still looking forward to bringing him back for next season.
The Lakers are planning to re-sign D’Angelo Russell, per @jovanbuha pic.twitter.com/ZqiMsY7R7a
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 28, 2023
There have been conflicting reports on this matter, though.
Some stated that LeBron James wasn’t happy with Russell’s play and that the team wouldn’t mind moving on from him, especially considering the money he would require.
But now that they’re quite unlikely to get Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, or even Chris Paul, it might as well be for the best.
Russell was somewhat solid since arriving via trade from Minnesota, but his performances went south in the playoffs again, which has been a common trend for him over the past couple of seasons.
The Lakers don’t have a lot of financial flexibility, which is why retaining some of their guys could be better than trying to fetch some other players in the free agent or trade market.
It’s unclear if Russell will take a pay cut to remain in Los Angeles, and there was a point where he didn’t even feel comfortable with his role off the ball instead of a primary ball-handler.
But for now, it seems like both parties need each other.
The post The Lakers Are Reportedly Planning To Re-Sign 1 Key Veteran appeared first on The Cold Wire.