The Los Angeles Lakers are at a crossroads.
According to Jake Fisher of Yahoo Sports, the Lakers are considering re-signing D’Angelo “DLo” Russell (guard, 191 cm, 91 kg).
Russell is out of contract with the Lakers after this season. Prior to the Western Conference Finals, Russell seemed to have a fairly good chance of staying with the Lakers, but their struggles in the Western Conference Finals made re-signing him unlikely.토토사이트
He was traded to the Lakers from the Minnesota Timberwolves ahead of this season’s trade deadline. After being drafted by the Lakers, he was called back to Hollywood. In 17 games since the trade, he has played 30.9 minutes per game, averaging 17.4 points (.484 .414 .735), 2.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists. He led the offence from the perimeter while taking some of the pressure off LeBron James.
However, he faded in the playoffs. In 16 games, he averaged 13.3 points (.426 .310 .769), 2.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 29.6 minutes. This was his third playoff appearance since entering the NBA, but for the second straight year, he failed to average more than 15 points per game in the playoffs. Most notably, he averaged just 6.3 points in four games in the series against the Denver Nuggets.
Russell’s 2023 playoffs
Round 1 vs Grizz 6 games 31.1 minutes 16.7 points (.435 .372 .769) 3.7 rebounds 5.8 assists
Round 2 vs Warriors 6 games 32.0 minutes 14.7 points (.456 .310 .778) 2.8 rebounds 4.2 assists
Game 3 vs Nuggets 4 games 23.5 minutes 6.3 points (.323 .133 .750) 2.0 rebounds 3.5 assists
On the other hand, the Lakers’ value on Austin Reeves and Rui Hachimura remains high. They’ve been steady throughout the playoffs without any major ups and downs, and that’s a huge plus. With their performance in the third round of the playoffs against the Denver Nuggets, they are expected to be around for the upcoming 2023-2024 season. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has also indicated that they will definitely keep him.
More than anyone else, Reeves’ salary is expected to skyrocket. Hachimura is also expected to command a contract worth more than $15 million per year. If the Lakers were to sit Reeves and Hachimura, it would only increase their payroll total starting with the upcoming 2023-2024 season. The Lakers already have about $90 million in committed spending with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Jared Vanderbilt.
Given their salary cap and luxury tax situation next season, they may not be able to realistically hold onto Russell if they sit Reeves and Hachimura. Even if they did, they would have to fill other spots on the roster as most of their players’ contracts expire. You don’t have many players under contract. If you want to challenge for the title, you can’t afford to give Russell a big contract.
If Russell is looking for more than $25 million per year, the Lakers should be concerned. Russell has his ups and downs, and Kyrie Irving, who is also on the market, is a solid player with a lot of uncertainty. It’s hard to give them $30 million a year, so it was expected that they would part ways with Russell. However, if Russell accepts a $20 million per year deal, the Lakers could keep their current lineup.
Russell has also been disappointing in round after round of the playoffs this season, so a multi-year deal with a player option might be a good way to set him up for what’s next. However, it’s doubtful he’d accept a deal with those terms, as he’ll be an unrestricted free agent for the second time in 2019. Russell’s future with the Lakers will depend on his willingness to stay.