The Los Angeles Lakers got some solid play from D’Angelo Russell in the regular season, but he fell off a cliff in the playoffs. Darvin Ham benched him down the stretch, and the word around the league is that LeBron James wasn’t pleased with his play.
Russell is set to become a free agent, and while he should gauge some league-wide interest, he’s not going to get a huge contract. He’s likely to sign a three-year deal worth around $15 million per season.
With that in mind, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports believes the Lakers could get the Phoenix Suns — who were interested in trading for him last season — to complete a sign-and-trade to get Chris Paul to Los Angeles.
Lakers Could Trade D’Angelo Russell For Chris Paul
“Would Phoenix take Russell for Paul?” Fischer asked. “The Suns held discussions with the Timberwolves regarding Russell prior to the trade deadline, sources told Yahoo Sports, before Minnesota found a new home for him with the Lakers. Phoenix also coveted Wolves center Naz Reid in trade talks, sources said.”
“Plus, the Lakers are said to be exploring similar sign-and-trade possibilities with Russell,” he continued. “For Los Angeles and Phoenix, losing Russell by free agency or waiving Paul would sacrifice a $30 million salary slot that feels all the more precious while staring down a daunting new second tax apron in the league’s upcoming collective bargaining agreement.”
Of course, that’s assuming Frank Vogel and the Suns are indeed interested in Russell still, even after watching him fall short in the playoffs again. Should that be the case, then this could be a win-win scenario for everybody involved.