Why The Los Angeles Lakers Do The Deal 

Having said all of that, D’Angelo Russell is not an elite floor spacer either. You may be wondering why the Lakers wouldn’t simply acquire Conley in this situation. 

For that matter, they might. On the other hand, at this stage in their careers, Russell is likely a more dynamic pick-and-roll ball-handler than Conley. That circles back to why the Lakers acquired Westbrook in the first place – to relieve James of some of his playmaking duties. 

In that sense, Russell splits the difference between Westbrook and Conley. Unlike Westbrook, he can’t be left open from three, but he’s also a stronger secondary playmaker than Conley. In that sense, he could be the best point guard that’s even potentially on the market for these Lakers. 

Moreover, Bogdanovic provides their spacing with a significant boon. Lastly, unlike Conley, Russell has solid positional size. He’s not an elite defender, but he’s a serviceable one.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: D’Angelo Russell, Minnesota Timberwolves & Los Angeles Lakers Updates

With that in mind – is Conley really the right target for the Timberwolves?