The Los Angeles Lakers will have a tough time finding a suitable replacement for D’Angelo Russell. The former Brooklyn Nets star struggled in the playoffs — again — but there aren’t that many options available at a reasonable price in the NBA.
Russell is an unrestricted free agent and, as such, could sign with any team of his choosing. Nonetheless, there might not be a big market for his services at this moment.
So, even though there are reports of LeBron James not being sold on Russell, Jovan Buha of The Athletic claims that there’s still a chance the Lakers could look to keep him, although he would have to take less money.
NBA Rumors: Lakers Could Keep D’Angelo Russell If He Takes A Discount
“Where is the team that’s going to swoop in and compete with the Lakers’ offer? I think Los Angeles can squeeze Russell closer to the $18 million to $20 million range annually,“ Buha wrote.
“Every dollar is going to matter with the new CBA increasing the penalties for teams that exceed the luxury tax. The difference between Russell at $18 million and Russell at $25 million annually could be consequential,” continued Buha. “If Russell performed better in the postseason, this would be a different conversation. But on multiple nights, he was the Lakers’ fifth- or sixth-best player behind James, Davis, Reaves, Hachimura and sometimes even Schröder. It’s hard to justify paying him anything over $20 million annually.”
The Lakers need a third scoring option behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis. They need someone they can trust when the game is on the line, someone durable, and a bonafide playoff performer.
Russell might not be any of those things at this point in his career, but keeping him on a team-friendly deal might help the team finding the guy they need with the remaining money.