Lakers News: How Free Agent D'Angelo Russell Feels About 2022-23 LA Run

His playoff performance may have killed his chances of a future in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell, who until the last game of LA's playoff run was the team's starter at the position, spoke with reporters on Tuesday to talk about the club's season and its run to the Western Conference Finals.

The 6'4" vet, a one-time All-Star, spoke glowingly of his brief second tenure in Los Angeles, having been traded back to the team that drafted him in February.

D’Angelo Russell sees this year as a “complete success” even though the outcome wasn’t what he wanted. pic.twitter.com/7IbNjUDp0v

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) May 24, 2023

"Complete success honestly," Russell said when asked to characterize his second tenure in LA thus far. "It's been a great time, it's been a great experience, to come back and be in this position, as prepared as I was. Give myself a pat on the back for that one. Being able to just adjust and just get thrown into the fire with the team and try to figure it out on the fly and make it to the Western Conference Finals. Complete success. I really can’t complain about anything except the ball going in when I wanted it to. But other than that I enjoyed my time.” 

When asked by reporters about his impending unrestricted free agency, D-Lo offered up a measured, diplomatic response.

"We had some success early when I first got here just without having any offseason together, any real time to just kind of get things going, some confidence under our belt with our system, the guys that we had," Russell said. "Would love to get the opportunity to see what that looks like, but you know this is a business, so... we'll see what opportunity presents itself, and obviously I'll do the best for myself."

Russell had a solid regular season run with LA, but fell apart in the Western Conference Finals against the NBA Finals-bound Denver Nuggets. In the series, he averaged just 6.3 points on .323/.133/.750 shooting splits, 3.5 assists and two rebounds a night in 23.5 minutes. He fell out of favor with head coach Darvin Ham, who prioritized Dennis Schröder's defense over Russell's offensive lapses, even Schröder also had an underwhelming scoring run in the series. Schröder averaged 31.2 minutes per during the Western Conference Finals.

D-Lo's disappointing turn in the Conference Finals may have poisoned the well in terms of his relationship with Los Angeles. LA may opt to let him walk.

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