NBA Rumors: D’Angelo Russell wants to stay with LA Lakers for long term
D’Angelo Russell is currently in his second tenure with the LA Lakers. The team picked him with the second pick in the 2015 NBA draft, but he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2017.
The 6-foot-4 guard will be a free agent this summer. However, he has no desire to leave the City of Angels. Instead, Russell would like to stay on the team for the long term.
Considering how great the 27-year-old guard has been for the Lakers so far, there is probably mutual interest in him staying on the roster. However, it will be interesting to see what kind of contract he will be looking for in free agency.
D’Angelo Russell will be a free agent, but he wants to stay with the LA Lakers
The point guard was included in a Kevin Durant trade between the Nets and the Golden State Warriors, but he appeared in only 33 games for the Dubs. Russell was then shipped to the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he played for three years.
The LA Lakers re-acquired him before the 2023 NBA trade deadline. D'Angelo Russell was involved in a 3-team trade with the Utah Jazz and Timberwolves. With this trade, the Lakers replaced Russell Westbrook with Russell, while also upgrading their depth.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN believes that the veteran guard wants to stay in Los Angeles.
“D’Angelo Russell very much wanted a second chance in LA with the Lakers," Wojnarowski said. "He wants to be the point guard of the future for this organization. He’ll be a free agent this summer.”
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The 27-year-old basketball star will receive $31.37 million for his services this season. Once his contract expires, he will be a free agent who will probably demand a bigger deal.
Will Lakers re-sign Russell in free agency?
D’Angelo Russell has been phenomenal for the LA Lakers this season. He's appeared in six games for the team, averaging 19.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game.
The point guard has also been very efficient, converting 53.2% of his shots and 47.2% of 3-pointers. While there is no doubt that the former All-Star is a great player, the Lakers may not be able to give him a big contract.
Assuming that the Lakers exercise Malik Beasley's $16.5 million team option this summer, they will have only seven players on the roster. These seven players will be paid around $129.3 million combined.
The projected salary cap for the 2023-24 NBA season is $134 million, while the luxury tax threshold is at $164 million.
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A few other valuable players, such as Rui Hachimura, Dennis Schroder and Austin Reeves, will also be free agents, which makes the situation much more complicated for the team.
Rob Pelinka has done a great job with the Lakers over the past two months. However, it will be interesting to see what he will do this summer. Bringing D’Angelo Russell back seems like a no-brainer, but the team may not be able to afford him.