Has 2023 Free Agent D’Angelo Russell Played Himself Out Of A Future With The Lakers?

This is not a great time for D-Lo to be an unrestricted free agent.

Los Angeles Lakers starting point guard D'Angelo Russell has had an embarrassingly poor showing in LA's Western Conference Finals series against the Denver Nuggets thus far. Denver has exposed the 6'4" vet as a liability on both ends of the hardwood. Normally a floor-spacer and solid passer, Russell has been such a negative on offense that he has been unplayable at times.

In the series so far, Russell is averaging seven points with a slash line of .296/.143/.750, plus four dimes, two boards and 0.7 steals.

ESPN's Allen Sliwa spoke about Russell's present and future with LA during a segment on 710 AM ESPN LA.

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"I mentioned in the pregame show, I was talking about, 'Hey, do you still start D'Angelo Russell?'" Sliwa noted. "I prefer [Russell's current backup] Dennis Schröder. Minutes-wise [Russell] played 20 minutes and Dennis Schröder so that shows kind of shows you how the Lakers... thought of his game and how he was affecting the game."

"D-Lo was not traded to the Los Angeles Lakers to be the equivalent of Lonnie Walker... He was traded and [was] supposed to be the third-best player on this team," Sliwa continued. "All playoffs he's had for the most part quiet moments."

Russell is currently in the final year of a four-year, $117.3 million maximum contract he initially inked with the Brooklyn Nets as part of a sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors. Since then, he was a solid-if-unspectacular role player on the Minnesota Timberwolves before ultimately being flipped back to the team that drafted him, LA, in February.

The Lakers have some big roster decisions to make this summer. Russell is one of many free agents on the club, including restricted free agents Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura (both of whom seem likely to return to the team), fellow unrestricted free agents Lonnie Walker IV (who could possibly return, albeit probably with a pay cut) and Schröder, and Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba, both of whom have expensive team options Los Angeles seems unlikely to pick up.

Russell will have possibly one more shot at redemption tonight, when Game 4 tips off in Crypto.com Arena.

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