Lakers News: Ex-LA Guard Predicts D'Angelo Russell Trade to Pacific Division Rival

Are the Lakers really going to roll out the D'Angelo Russell experiment yet again?

Apr 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (1) moves the ball against Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) during the second half in game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

One-time for Los Angeles Lakers combo guard Patrick Beverley (at all of 6-foot-2, he never should have played a second at shooting guard, but now-former head coach Darvin Ham almost exclusively played him out of position during his entire brief tenure) believes that one of the players who replaced him as part of a flurry of roster-correcting moves in 2023, starting L.A. point guard D'Angelo Russell, could be shipped back to the Golden State Warriors.

Note that his prognosis stems from last week, when then-L.A. Clippers All-Star forward Paul George (who has since reportedly agreed to a maximum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers) was still available via sign-and-trade. Beverley was right, however, in predicting that Klay Thompson wouldn't be staying a Warrior.

If Dlo opt in it, a possibility u can see Steph, PG, Draymond, DLo…. @PatBevPod

— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) June 26, 2024

Russell did indeed opt into the final season of his contract, which will pay him $18.7 million in 2024-25. Will Los Angeles stick with its inconsistent starting point guard this season, when All-NBA combo forward LeBron James, already the oldest player in the league, will turn 40?

The 6-foot-3 Ohio State product, 28, averaged 18 points on a .456/.415/.828 slash line across 76 regular season games in 2023-24, along with 6.3 assists (against 2.1 turnovers), 3.1 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks per bout. For the second straight postseason with Los Angeles, Russell was utterly exposed against the Denver Nuggets. He averaged 14.2 points on an inconsistent slash line of .384/.318/.500, 4.2 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 0.8 steals a night. Russell is a lackluster defender, and when his shooting and passing abandon him, he becomes a pretty confounding fit.

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