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Dating back as far as last season, the Los Angeles Lakers were long expected to trade away point guard D’Angelo Russell. This season, those rumors continued, but after eight disappointing games as a starter, he was demoted to the bench unit, which tanked his value on the trade market.
Since heading to the bench, Russell has become the go-to sixth man in Hollywood. In his last five games off the bench, he has averaged 12.2 points and 3.4 assists. As a starter, he shot 29.2% from deep, and now he makes 40% of his 3-pointers.
A large part of that can be attributed to him facing lesser defenses, but either way, he seems to have found his footing. The Lakers’ depth was questionable at best entering the season, and Russell was seen as an expendable starter who could be traded to add bench pieces. Instead, he has become the best bench player in Los Angeles and provides a steady hand on an otherwise shaky second unit.
Russell was a chip-in in mock trades to start the season, as his $18.7 million expiring salary made him easy to match salaries. Apparently, the tone has shifted regarding his availability.
“In talking to sources close to the Lakers, Russell playing well in this role might make them a little more reluctant to part with him, as the bench unit seriously struggled with Gabe Vincent at the helm,” wrote Clutch Points’ Anthony Irwin on Sunday. “If this is actually who Russell can be for the rest of the season, the Lakers might get even more picky about who they'd trade him for, or would look to find a more reliable option than Vincent as part of a Russell trade.”
Should he continue to make shots and distribute the ball off the bench for the Lakers, he might finish the season and even re-sign with Los Angeles in the summer. However, with only five games under his belt off the bench, it is still far too early to make any definitive statements.
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