Could San Antonio Spurs Trade for Los Angeles Lakers' D'Angelo Russell?
The San Antonio Spurs have yet to answer their point guard question, and they might have to look beyond their current roster to do so. Jeremy Sochan has not showcased the ball-handling skills necessary for the position, and Tre Jones–while an excellent facilitator–is never a scoring threat.
The Spurs are going to tout a starting lineup featuring Devin Vassell, Sochan, and Victor Wembanyama. That much is certain, but where Jones, Zach Collins, and Keldon Johnson fall in is still a question. With that much young talent, the Spurs have experimented with positionless basketball, where no one is assigned primary ball-handling duties. Once the regular season starts, the Spurs will probably revert back to traditional basketball.
One trade candidate for the Spurs is D’Angelo Russell. The 27-year-old former All-Star has been mentioned by Bleacher Report as the most probable trade chip the Lakers have, and his shooting and playmaking abilities would fit in well with the Spurs.
Tre Jones has struggled to shoot, adding Russell would help that.
© Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports
Because he recently signed a two-year contract, he can’t be traded until December 15th. By then, the Lakers will have a sense of their roster, and Austin Reaves and LeBron James will likely be the primary ball handlers.
The Lakers have several injury-prone players, especially in the frontcourt with Anthony Davis, Christian Wood, and Jarred Vanderbilt. As long as James is on the roster, the Lakers will be in win-now mode, and if the injury bug gets them, they could pay a pretty price for Zach Collins.
Collins has been playing very well in the preseason, but he will be playing second fiddle to Victor Wembanyama. If Charles Bassey or Dominick Barlow emerge as rotation pieces, the Spurs could swap Collins for Russell and shore up their offensive attack.
Jones is a better defender than Russell, but Russell is much better on offense. Keeping Jones would allow the Spurs to construct lineups that best suit their opponent or game-time situations, and Russell would provide continuous firepower from deep.
