Lakers’ D’Angelo Russell Is Potential Solution For Magic’s Scoring Woes Should He Test Free Agency

The Orlando Magic's breakout season stuttered to a stop in the NBA Playoffs. Young star Paolo Banchero and the offense could use a complementary scorer. Los Angeles Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell has his detractors, but his scoring and playmaking skills would be welcome.

Isaiah Deanda | May 17, 2024

Apr 14, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (1) looks to / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

ORLANDO — The Orlando Magic looks like one of the NBA’s top free agency destinations this offseason, given the team's recent playoff berth and fun young roster.

One player who seems to have the potential to help solve many of Magic’s deficiencies is Los Angeles Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell, who may opt out of the final year of his contract and hit free agency.

Last season, Orlando reached the playoffs because of its defense, which ranked No. 2 in the NBA. But you can’t win games without points, especially in the postseason.

The Magic entered the playoffs with the second-lowest scoring average (110.5) of any team contending for a championship. Paolo Banchero proved himself to be one of the best young players in front of a national audience, but the Magic's offense managed only 100 points per game and lost in seven games to Cleveland.

Banchero, 21, led his team in points, rebounds, and assists in both the regular and postseason, but he needs help. Insert Russell.

Still just 28 years old despite nearly a decade in the NBA, Russell has experienced more at an early age than many veterans much older than him.

The former No. 2 overall pick, one of the few players to have played with both LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, is a former All-Star who led the Brooklyn Nets to the playoffs at just 22 years old. This past season, he offered LeBron everything that Banchero needed in the playoffs.

As a starter for the Lakers, Russell averaged 18 points per game, shot 41.5 percent from three-point range on 7.2 attempts per game, and was second on the team behind LeBron in assists at 6.3 per game. Adding Russell to an offense that seemed to live and die based on how Banchero could perform in one-on-one situations could pay dividends for Orlando’s offense … at least on paper.

Los Angeles' exit from the playoffs against MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets has colored how some view Russell as a potential free agent.

The Lakers were bounced from the postseason in a gentleman’s sweep, with many LA fans pointing fingers at Russell for his inefficient scoring compared to the regular season. Against the Nuggets, DLo averaged 14.2 points and 4.2 assists and shot 31.8 percent from three.

The lackluster performance has caused some to question whether Russell should be viewed as a missing piece to a contender or simply a player who looks better on paper.

Many thought the Minnesota Timberwolves' trade of 26-year-old Russell for 35-year-old Mike Conley was egregious. In the time since, Conley has been credited with helping Anthony Edwards and the Wolves mature into legitimate title contenders.

For as fun as DLo was during the Brooklyn Nets' 2018-19 playoff run, where the pure joy of the team’s bench was often going viral, that team ultimately won only a single game in the postseason.

Still, Russell may be worth the risk. Markelle Fultz and three-point specialist Gary Harris were paid a combined $30 million last year. Those two roles seem like ones Russell is capable of filling based on his regular-season production last year, and possibly for less money. Russell's current contract is worth $18.6 million annually.

According to Spotrac, the Magic are projected to have the fifth-most practical cap space in the NBA at just over $25 million, so if Russell does decide to test free agency, Orlando could make a compelling case for the former All-Star to sign with the Magic.

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