The Lakers have come up in trade rumors early in the season.
With about a quarter of the 2024-25 season gone by, the Los Angeles Lakers are barely hovering over .500 at 12-11. The team has been dealt a raw hand in terms of injuries with the entire frontcourt depth in Jaxson Hayes, Christian Wood and Jarred Vanderbilt all sidelined. The Lakers are a team mentioned as looking to make a trade, and there is one player on the roster in particular who should be moved by the deadline.
It’s obvious that as currently constructed, the Lakers aren’t close to being a championship contender. But while LeBron James and Anthony Davis are on the roster, the team needs to be as competitive as possible. Both players aren’t going to sit for a rebuild.
James signed a two-year contract with the Lakers this past offseason with a player extension going into the 2025-26 season. He has a no-trade clause. Davis signed a three-year contract extension back in 2023 with a player option for the 2027-28 season. Barring an unforeseen trade request, neither of them are going anywhere anytime soon.
While the Lakers kick the tires in terms of looking for an upgrade in the frontcourt, whether they find a suitable trade partner or not, the player they need to look into a trade for regardless is D’Angelo Russell.
Why Lakers should trade D’Angelo Russell
Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (1) against the Phoenix Suns during an NBA Cup game at Footprint Center
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
D’Angelo Russell is the one player the Lakers need to look into trading, and it’s not because of anything he’s done wrong.
This season alone, Russell has seen his role shift multiple times since the beginning of the season. He began the year as one-half of the Lakers’ starting backcourt along with Austin Reaves. Following a disappointing road trip during which the Lakers finished 1-4, Russell was moved to the bench.
With Austin Reaves sidelined recently due to a pelvic injury, Russell found himself back in the starting lineup. But following an embarrassing blowout loss to the Miami Heat on another road trip, Russell was back with the second unit for the final game of the trip.
The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Lakers, Russell’s second go-round with the franchise has been rather inconsistent. His arrival at the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline helped spark a run to the Western Conference Finals. But Russell struggled against the Nuggets as the Lakers were swept.
Last season, Russell was shuffled between the starting lineup and the bench, and again had an inconsistent series during the Lakers’ first round playoff loss to the Nuggets. He chose to pick his player option for this season rather than test unrestricted free agency.
Russell has actually played rather well coming off the bench. Overall, the Lakers have struggled to find consistency with the second unit. He’s helped steady the bench to the point where the Lakers apparently are more reluctant to include Russell in a trade.
But if he isn’t going to get a consistent role with the Lakers, then they need to seriously consider moving him to a team that can better utilize his talents.
Russell’s expiring contract is certainly an intriguing trade piece for other teams. But he can still provide quality minutes for a good team on the court.
Through 22 games played, Russell is averaging 12.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists. He’s shooting 41.5 percent from the field, 33.1 percent from the three-point line and 87.2 percent from the free-throw line. His shooting percentages are not quite as efficient as you would want, but perhaps that can change with a more consistent and defined role. It was just last season he shot 45.6 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from three-point range.
During the Lakers’ loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder back on Nov. 29, when Austin Reaves was unable to start the third quarter, Russell came in and gave the team very good minutes.
Russell can certainly contribute to any success the Lakers want to have this season. But with an ever-shifting role, it might be best for both sides if he is the player moved in a trade this season. In any case, it feels like this is the final go-round for Russell as he will hit unrestricted free agency in the offseason.
