Why The Los Angeles Lakers Do The Deal
On the other hand, this may not be the most obvious solution for the Lakers either.
After all, Russell is not the best floor-spacing point guard in the NBA. Like Westbrook, he’s best suited for on-ball duties. At the same time, his marginal superiority as a floor-spacer could make all the difference for the Lakers.
Defenses need to close out a Russell three-point attempt. Unlike Westbrook, they won’t simply dare him to shoot. Russell may not be an elite shooter, but he’s a competent one.
Meanwhile, the Lakers acquired Westbrook to be a secondary playmaker in the first place – that’s still a need. Moreover, it’s one Russell can more than satisfy.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: D’Angelo Russell, Minnesota Timberwolves & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Finally, Taurean Prince is a solid 3-and-D wing as well. He’s a perfectly sensible target for these Lakers. More than anything, they need to make significant changes at just about any cost:
The fewer problems they have heading into 2022-23, the better.
