Los Angeles Lakers are coming off a strong win in the in-season tournament against the Indiana Pacers on December 9, 2023. Not only that, the franchise is riding on a five-game winning streak after sweeping the game against the Dallas Mavericks on December 12, 2023.
D’Angelo Russell has played his role as a floor general and reliable scorer, while he has also earned his position as a starting point guard this season. D’Lo is averaging 16.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists, shooting 40.5% from distance and 48.3% from the field. While there is an improvement from his 2023 playoff average, the star guard might be a favorable candidate for a trade-off.
refs have an agenda against the nuggets this season lmfao. murray ejected like 2 games ago, malone and jokic both ejected a week ago, and now this
— ₁₅𝕁𝕠𝕜𝕖𝕀𝕟𝔸𝔹𝕠𝕩 (@jokerwrld) December 13, 2023
However, as per Sam Amico of the Hoops Wire, “Russell is having a nice season, though, and the Lakers aren’t actively shopping him, sources told the Hoops Wire.” Taking into account the power booster performance of the 27-year-old at the start of the 2023–24 season, the franchise could not be searching for a replacement right away.
However, according to Michael Scotto on the HoopsHype podcast, the heavy cloud looms high on the player. Due to his high value at the moment, the Los Angeles Lakers might be looking to capitalize on the trade. Adding to the rhetoric, Gabe Vincent’s comeback and trade rumors about Zach Lavine fit the scene just perfectly.
What are the Lakers expecting in return for D’Angelo Russell?
Gabe Vincent is hopeful for a return as soon as December 18, as per Shams Charania of The Athletic. While D’Lo becomes eligible for a trade on December 15, 2023, the comeback of the former star guard of the Miami Heat might help the team. When Vincent’s injury update hit the headlines, the probable position for the player was under speculation.
“He’s going to be ending up missing a total of at least 4-5 weeks… Zach LaVine and the Bulls have been open to exploring trade avenues, but for now he will remain shelved”@ShamsCharania with the latest on LaVine’s foot injury
📺: https://t.co/qYBPWhXIrz pic.twitter.com/nkQTN86Z65
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) December 7, 2023
However, if the Lakers decide to trade Russell, Vincent might get to showcase his prowess in the starting five. On the other hand, Chicago Bulls’ Zach Lavine could fit the timeline for a potential swap between the players. While Lavine will become eligible for a trade by this January, the duo of Russell and Rui Hachimura’s contract deadlines amps up the hope of a potential trade.
All in all, either the Lakers could trade off D’Angelo Russell to create space on the roster for Vincent or trade Russell and Hachimura for Lavine. The Lakers will face the San Antonio Spurs on December 13, 2023. While the Spurs are riding on a 17-game losing streak, a stellar win seems like an expected outcome for the in-season tournament winners.