D’Angelo Russell Bluntly Addresses Lakers Trade Rumors, Thoughts on Potential Deal

The Los Angeles guard stated that he knows what “the requirements” are to be successful with the franchise.

The Los Angeles Lakers remain at the center of numerous rumors ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, many of which include D’Angelo Russell. But as Russell’s name continuously gets floated in various reports and rumors, the 27-year-old is fresh off one of the best months of his professional career.

Russell was asked how he’d deal with the speculation and trade rumors that are bound to increase in the coming days and he was about as candid as possible.

“I mean, I can’t control that my contract makes sense to be traded, either,” Russell said, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “So, I mean, just play. You can’t control that. Once again, I don’t care. At all.”

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One key topic that’s been mentioned sparsely since Russell signed a two-year, $36 million deal with Los Angeles this past offseason was his decision to waive the no-trade clause, which typically comes with this type of contract. Russell also opened up about this decision, stating that he knows the “requirements” to be successful with the Lakers.

“I just thought it made sense,” Russell said. “Obviously I’ve been here before, I played for the Lakers before, so I know what the requirements are to be successful here are. So, if you’re part of the future here you’ll be successful. If you’re not, you’ll get traded. And I’ve been traded before here. So, my approach is just a little different.

Russell has remained focused on basketball throughout all the noise, and it led to a January in which he averaged 22.7 points and 6.0 assists and shot 48.8% from the field. He also knocked down a stellar 45.9% of his attempts from three-point range last month.