D’Angelo Russell’s new two-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers is guaranteed for $36 million, according to NBA insider Keith Smith.
Russell has $700,000 in incentives in each season of the deal. In addition, Russell waived his implied no-trade clause.
The Lakers can trade Russell anywhere after six months now that the guard doesn’t have a no-trade clause. The purple and gold signed Gabe Vincent in free agency, so Russell could be expendable.
The Lakers acquired Russell from the Minnesota Timberwolves at the 2023 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. D’Lo also put up strong 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.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: D’Angelo Russell & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
However, Russell was so bad against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals that many people around the NBA believed the Lakers shouldn’t have re-signed 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 as the Nuggets swept the Lakers.
Despite Russell’s struggles versus the Nuggets, though, the Lakers brought him back. For the first time in the LeBron James-Anthony Davis era, which started in 2019-20, Los Angeles prioritized continuity and chemistry over chasing flashier upgrades this offseason.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: D’Angelo Russell & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
The Lakers were busy in free agency. They re-signed Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura and signed Vincent, Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince and Jaxson Hayes.
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