In recent appearance on the ‘Tidal League’ podcast, Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell opened up on his “high-level” play with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Russell described it as euphoric when he was clicking on the Lakers over the past two seasons.
“Last year when I arrived, we clicked right away… We were playing at a high level, hot potato the ball back and forth to a no-look lob. That’s basketball and we were on the same page even though we didn’t have time to get there. Then we went through adversity the first time against Denver. Then we went into this year, we had time to prep our core guys that we had. We weren’t healthy but we had a good core from last year. And we were playing at such a high level again. In the midst of it I’m like ‘I gotta win’ but looking back I’m like ‘Dang bro I was really hooping on a high level with this dude that dominates the game. If he came down and made a play every time, people would be okay with that. So for a guy to be in that, in the middle of it, next to it, it’s like I know y’all wanna see this dude shoot every time!”
Drafted 2nd overall in 2015, D’Angelo Russell knows what it’s like to pay with the best of the best. He got to play with Kobe Bryant during the tail end of his career and got a first-hand account of his work ethic and understanding of the game.
Sadly, Russell was eventually traded from the Lakers and he moved on to stints with the Nets, Warriors, and Minnesota Timberwolves. At the 2023 NBA trade deadline, Russell returned to the Lakers as part of the Russell Westbrook deal. Initially, he had a lot of success that season, and with averages of 17.4 points and 6.1 assists per game, he had one of his best stretches ever as a pro to help the Lakers reach the Western Conference Finals.
Love him or hate him, Russell was a big part of that early success and his shooting/ball handling helped open up the floor and unlock the best version of the Lakers.
Sady, as well as they did in 2023, the Lakers failed to make a return trip this past season and Russell’s inconsistency became a major part of the blame.
Between poor lapses on defense and a streaky shooting record, D’Lo slowly saw his minutes dwindle, and after he opted into his $18.6 million player option, the Lakers have been actively trying to trade him.
So far, Russell remains with the Purple and Gold and there’s nothing left for them to do but try and find the best way to make it work. With LeBron James, 39, and Anthony Davis still playing like some of the best players in the world, the Lakers will always have a chance and they will always aim to recapture the high-level basketball we’ve seen glimpses of before.
For D’Lo, the whole experience has been life-changing and the opportunity to play with the King may have extended his career by years. Going into next season, a contract year, expect Russell to be extra aggressive on the floor and to look to find new ways to maximize his impact.