Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is not a fan of guard D’Angelo Russell entering the NBA offseason, according to Heavy’s Sean Deveney.
Deveney spoke to a Western Conference executive who said there’s talk James doesn’t like playing with Russell, who just finished his second stint with the Lakers.
“I hate to say one playoff series can change a franchise’s whole outlook on a guy because that just does not happen, but it is happening with some of the people in that building, maybe most significantly, with LeBron,” the Western Conference executive told Deveney. “Is this a guy they want to invest in? Does LeBron want him back — there is talk that he is not Russell’s biggest fan.”
Russell averaged 6.3 points and 3.5 assists in the conference finals versus the Denver Nuggets while shooting 32.3% from the field and 13.3% from beyond the arc. The Ohio State product was benched in Game 4 for Dennis Schroder.
NBA NEWS & TRAdE RUMORS: D’Angelo Russell, LeBron James& Los Angeles Lakers Updates
The Lakers got swept by the Nuggets. Russell, who becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, averaged 17.4 points and 6.1 assists while shooting 41.4% from 3-point land with Los Angeles during the regular season.
“But they gave up that pick (2027 first-rounder) to get him,” the exec told Deveney. “And I can tell you, that was like pulling teeth for some of them in that building. They gave up the pick, they are not letting him walk away.”
Everyone in league circles knows James wants the Lakers to get Kyrie Irving this summer. The Dallas Mavericks All-Star becomes an unrestricted free agent in the offseason like Russell.
NBA NEWS & TRAdE RUMORS: D’Angelo Russell, LeBron James& Los Angeles Lakers Updates
James and Irving were teammates on the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2014-15 to 2016-17. They played in three NBA Finals and won the 2016 title over the Golden State Warriors.
The Lakers tried to trade for Irving at the trade deadline. However, the Brooklyn Nets traded the Duke product to the Mavericks.
Want the latest in NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
