Lakers: D'Angelo Russell Discusses How He's Changed Since His First Stint In LA

He could be back on the floor for the Purple and Gold tonight.

I have to say, Los Angeles Lakers team vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka has had a pretty incredible start to his 2023.

He actually extracted value for the contracts of Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, and Kendrick Nunn, while only ultimately sacrificing one first-round draft pick and one second-round selection, all told (LA flipped four second-rounders in their various deals and eventually got back three others, for a net loss of one).

Are the Lakers going to win the title now? Unless Anthony Davis can actually sustain that MVP-level play he was turning out for about 15 games in the fall, I'm dubious. But the totally revised depth Pelinka has put around stars Davis and LeBron James fits so much more cleanly, and represents a massive upgrade over the players that drove the club to a middling 25-30 record prior to the acquisitions Pelinka made this week, none of whom have been able to suit up yet.

The biggest name arriving to town is one who has worn the purple and gold before: point guard D'Angelo Russell, who played for the Lakers from 2015-2017. On Friday, he spoke with gathered reporters about his return to LA.

D’Angelo Russell on playing with LeBron and AD, says he’s excited to see what it’s like playing with guys who draw that gravity.

Adds of his own game after six years away from the Lakers: “I’m a grown man now; I’m not a child. I’m just excited to showcase it.” pic.twitter.com/bBkzpHff9S

— Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) February 10, 2023

“It's cool, I mean I haven't played with 'Bron yet," Russell said Friday. "I've played against him for a good amount of time. I can only imagine being on the floor and how easy the game could be just [with] a player like that with that much gravity around him. AD as well. I mean he's one of those players too that you gotta prepare for."

"And you throw Steph Curry in there [from his brief run with the Golden State Warriors in 2019]," Russell added. "I mean it's just a bunch of guys that I got to steal a few things from, add it to my own repertoire. Just excited to display it now. I’m a grown man now; I’m not a child. I’m just excited to showcase it.”

So are we, D-Lo. After a year and a half of Russell Westbrook (by all accounts a good and philanthropic person off the floor, but one whose time has clearly passed on it), so are we.