D'Angelo Russell being benched initially seemed to spell the beginning of the end for him with the Lakers. But Russell made the most of his opportunities and may have saved his Lakers' stint, as Anthony Irwin of Clutch Points reported that the Lakers might be hesitant to trade Russell now that he is thriving in his new role coming off the bench and leading the second unit.
“In talking to sources close to the Lakers, Russell playing well in this role might make them a little more reluctant to part with him, as bench unit seriously struggled with Gabe Vincent at the helm."
"If this is actually who Russell can be for the rest of the season, the Lakers might get even more picky about who they'd trade him for, or would look to find a more reliable option than Vincent as part of a Russell trade.”
This decision not to trade Russell could be a double-edged sword. While Russell has definitely gotten better coming off the bench, Russell's value is going to be significantly higher than when he was a starter. And not capitalizing on that to try and help improve the roster could be a bad idea in the long run.
Russell started eight games this season and averaged 12.0 points, 5.8 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 0.1 blocks. He shot poorly during this stint, making just 37.5% of his shots from the field, 29.2% from beyond the arc, and 94.1% from the free-throw line.
Russell's stats look the same coming off the bench, but he has taken a big leap in efficiency. In the five games Russell has come off the bench, he has averaged 12.2 points, 3.4 assists, 1.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 0.0 blocks, while shooting 46.0% from the field, 40.0% from three, and 83.3% from the stripe.
Are Lakers Making A Mistake Not Trading Russell?
While D'Angelo Russell has worked hard to redeem himself and accept a lesser role on the team, the Lakers still need to think about the good of the team. If Russell's value improves significantly as he continues his good performances off the bench, they can capitalize on it by making a big deal.
The Lakers, despite being 9-4 and the fourth seed in the Western Conference, it is clear that the roster needs to be improved, primarily to provide them with more wing defending and three-point shooting. And Russell's improved trade value could be crucial in making any deal happen.
Furthermore, he provides flexibility to any team that takes him on, as he becomes a free agent next summer, and they are not obligated to keep him on if they feel he doesn't fit their plans.
The Lakers have reason to be genuinely optimistic about their team's chances this season. JJ Redick has done a marvelous job as head coach, giving the Lakers one of the best records in the entire league so far. The front office should do everything in their power to reward him with better pieces that can improve the roster and help them compete for a championship.
