The Los Angeles Lakers could re-sign point guard D’Angelo Russell to a front-loaded two-year deal this offseason, according to NBA insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
Russell becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
“One framework the Lakers have discussed internally, according to multiple team sources not authorized to speak publicly, is signing Russell to a front-loaded two-year deal – either with an option in the second year or a straight two-year contract – that both gives him the salary he wants and keeps him on the same timeline as LeBron James (player option in 2024) and Anthony Davis (has an early termination option in 2024 and is eligible for a contract extension in August),” Buha wrote. “Even though the three-team deadline deal was more about getting rid of Russell Westbrook than the players acquired, the Lakers don’t want to lose Russell in free agency for nothing.
“Their preference is to find a superior player by either sign-and-trading Russell elsewhere in July or, more likely at this point, re-signing him and then potentially trading him later in the season for a better player or fit.”
The Lakers acquired Russell from the Minnesota Timberwolves at the February trade deadline and the Ohio State product played well in his 17 games with Los Angeles, averaging 17.4 points and 6.1 assists while shooting 41.4% from 3.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: D’Angelo Russell & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
D’Lo also put up good numbers in the first two rounds of the 2023 playoffs versus the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors. The Louisville native averaged 15.7 points and 5.0 assists and scored 31 points in Game 6 against the Grizzlies.
However, Russell was so bad against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals that many people around the NBA believe the Lakers shouldn’t re-sign him. The lefty averaged 6.3 points and 3.5 assists while shooting 32.3% from the field and 13.3% from beyond the arc.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: D’Angelo Russell & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
According to ESPN front-office insider Bobby Marks, Russell is eligible through June 30 to sign a two-year, $67.5 million extension with the Lakers. If an extension isn’t reached between Russell and the Lakers, the All-Star guard will hit unrestricted free agency.
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