SUMMARY
- ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins made a strong statement criticizing D'Angelo Russell's recent poor performance with the Los Angeles Lakers.
- Amid trade rumors surrounding the Lakers, there is a growing inclination to trade D'Angelo Russell rather than his teammate, Austin Reaves.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ current season struggles have sparked a lot of rumors about potential roster changes, with D’Angelo Russell’s performance drawing notable criticism. ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins recently made a bold statement about Russell, suggesting that the Lakers should consider trading him for a “box of Christmas candles.”
Russell, known for his versatile guard play, has been facing criticism for his poor performance since the end of the In-Season Tournament. Over the past seven games, his stats dropped to an average of 9.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. The Lakers have won only one of their last six games, increasing the frustration within the front office and fanbase.
“It’s about D’Angelo Russell. Right now, I would trade him for a box of Christmas candles and a lifelong supply of Christmas lights. That’s how horrible he’s been.”
Kendrick Perkins sounded OFF on the Lakers guard’s inconsistent play lately 👀pic.twitter.com/uVhyQB8k5v
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 21, 2023
Perkins, who is known to exaggerate his opinions on television, believes that the Lakers need to get rid of Russell as soon as possible. “Right now, I would trade him for a box of Christmas candles and a lifelong supply of Christmas lights. That’s how horrible he’s been.” Perkins stated. This statement aligns with the opinions of many Lakers fans who are eager to see a change in the team’s lineup.
Lakers are reportedly interested in moving D’Angelo Russell instead of Austin Reaves
As trade rumors surround the Lakers, the focus seems to be shifting toward trading D’Angelo Russell over his teammate, Austin Reaves. At the start of the season, Russell showed potential as a stable scoring guard, but his performance has declined since then. On the other hand, Reaves, after being shifted to a sixth-man role, has been playing well, averaging 15.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists off the bench.
This shift in performance has led the Lakers to consider Russell as the more replaceable asset in trade negotiations. Rumors suggest that the Lakers are exploring a trade with the Chicago Bulls involving Russell. According to reports, the proposed deal from the Lakers likely involves a combination of salary fillers like Rui Hachimura or Gabe Vincent, a young prospect, and a protected future first-round pick.
The Lakers would consider a Zach LaVine trade centered around D’Angelo Russell, per @jovanbuha
“For LaVine specifically, I think the Lakers would consider a D’Angelo Russell-centric deal, but I don’t think they’d throw in much more than a combination of salary filler (Rui… pic.twitter.com/PFrUU9AW2J
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 21, 2023
As per the Athletic report- “For LaVine specifically, I think the Lakers would consider a D’Angelo Russell-centric deal, but I don’t think they’d throw in much more than a combination of salary filler (Rui Hachimura and/or Gabe Vincent), a young prospect (Max Christie or Jalen Hood-Schifino) and a protected pick (2029 or 2030 first rounder).”
The target of this potential trade is Bulls star Zach LaVine, who has shown impressive stats this season, averaging 21.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. LaVine’s addition could provide a more consistent offense for the Lakers, something they have been missing with Russell’s current form.