Free-agent guard D’Angelo Russell has agreed on a two-year, $37 million contract to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers, a team source told The Athletic on Saturday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Russell averaged 17.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game last season for the Timberwolves and Lakers.
- The 27-year-old was dealt to Los Angeles at this year’s deadline in a three-team trade involving Minnesota and Utah.
- Russell’s new contract includes a player option after his first season of the deal, per a team source.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
How L.A. got Russell back
The Lakers secured Russell, their starting point guard, at a fair price after he helped them get to the Western Conference finals but struggled once there. Russell was one of the top guard options in free agency, as the one-time All-Star has an elite combination of 3-point shooting and playmaking. At just 27, he’s only now hitting his prime.
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With that said, the market for Russell was predictably cold, as The Athletic reported it was going to be over the past several weeks. His postseason struggles and defensive limitations make him a tough fit as starting guard for a team with title aspirations. As teams signed point guards, including the Lakers signing former Heat guard Gabe Vincent, and the Raptors signing Dennis Schröder, the Lakers were the only logical option remaining for Russell. Both sides have a short-term marriage of convenience with the flexibility to either move Russell at the 2024 trade deadline or for him to opt out and sign elsewhere next summer. — Buha
What’s next for the Lakers?
The Russell signing is one of the final moves of the Lakers’ offseason. Restricted free agent Austin Reaves remains on the market, with San Antonio the only realistic suitor at this point. Aside from him, the Lakers have two empty roster spots and still need another big man in addition to Anthony Davis and Jaxson Hayes, who Los Angeles signed Saturday morning. — BuhaBackstory
Russell started 15 of 16 games in Los Angeles’ 2023 Western Conference finals run, averaging 13.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists in the playoffs. He shot a career-best 46.9 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from 3 during the 2022-23 regular season.
Russell spent the first two seasons of his career in Los Angeles, drafted at No. 2 by the Lakers in 2015, before stints with the Nets, Warriors and Timberwolves. He earned his lone All-Star nod with Brooklyn in 2018-19 and boasts career averages of 17.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game.
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(Photo: Gary A. Vasquez / USA Today)
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