The Los Angeles Lakers are becoming less likely to complete certain trades the longer they wait to make them. It’s due to D’Angelo Russell.
Are his efforts causing someone at the front desk to have second thoughts, making it possible for him to stay?
Jovan Buha of The Athletic wrote on January 26: “I’d put it at around 40 percent [that Russell remains with the Lakers], which is higher than I would have as recently as a few weeks ago.” Though the likelihood of him being traded by the deadline has increased, it’s now more of a 50/50 shot given the Lakers’ growing unwillingness to part with him.
According to team sources, the Lakers consider trades involving Russell for players like Malcolm Brogdon of Portland, Tyus Jones of Washington, or Spencer Dinwiddie of Brooklyn to be at most lateral moves and probably downgrades.
Since returning to the starting lineup seven games ago, Russell is averaging 27.4 points per game. In that time, he has 1.6 assists, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks while also making 53.1% of his three-pointers.
In the gossip mill, Brogdon, Dinwiddie, Jones, and Atlanta Hawks player Dejounte Murray are all well-known associates with the Lakers.
Leave a Reply