It was not too long ago that Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell wanted “all the smoke.”
He would cook your favorite player and send them packing. That it is, of course, unless it’s the playoffs.
Russell’s boom-or-bust style of play has led to him becoming one of the most polarizing players in the league. Many Lakers fans think he should be the third most important player on the team. And there are nights where this is undoubtedly the case. For example, he had an exceptional game two against the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. Russell dropped 23 points, three rebounds, and six assists, all the while shooting 50% from the field.
Of course, he followed this up with a complete dud in game three, scoring zero points in a game where his contribution was necessary if the Lakers were going to make the series interesting. This has always been the issue with D’Angelo Russell. He had a career year last year, but he ended it the way he usually does— falling up short when it matters most.
Over the summer, Russell opted into his $18.7 million player option to stay a Laker. There had been some speculation that he could have gone to Orlando or San Antonio. At one point, when he was playing well during the season, it seemed that there might be a bidding war.
When push came to shove, however, it was all just smoke and mirrors. There was no market for the 28-year-old point guard.
D’Lo’s Last Dance
The 2024-2025 season is the last real shot he has at proving he is more than just an overpaid roleplayer. It’s more than just a contract year. It’s his last chance to prove he is All-Star material like he was during his stint with the Brooklyn Nets.
Russell has shown some signs of growth recently. At Lakers Media Day, he admitted that he was “showing a lack of team-first perception at times,” during previous seasons. Throughout his tenure in LA, Russell has grown a lot. He has expressed numerous times his desire to remain in Los Angeles.
Lakers’ new head coach JJ Redick thinks this could be a career year for Russell.
With free agency on the horizon, his next contract may move tens of millions of dollars in either direction depending on what he does this year. He’ll get paid like a fringe All-Star (think 2021 Conley deal) or like a microwave bench scorer (think Jordan Clarkson deal). One thing is for sure, D’Angelo Russell is running out of chances— and franchises too.
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