Several Teams Evaluating Potential D’Angelo Russell Trades

With the Lakers securing the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft at tonight’s draft lottery, several teams have reportedly begun evaluating potential trades for point guard D’Angelo Russell, sources tell Sports Illustrated’s Jake Fischer.

The former second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft put together a solid sophomore season in Los Angeles. He improved his numbers across the board, posting 15.6 PPG, 4.8 APG, and 3.5 RPG in 63 games (60 starts). Russell did miss some time due to various knee ailments, which included a PRP injection in his left knee and a mild sprain of the MCL in his right knee.

The former Ohio State University product has shown flashes of his talent but his time has a Laker has been mired in disappointments and run-in’s with teammates. Still, at just 21 years old, he figures to draw strong interest around the league if the Lakers decide to go in another direction.

When the Lakers drew the second overall pick, the attention turned to UCLA product Lonzo Ball, who has been named as the team’s reported top target in the draft. Lonzo’s outspoken father, LaVar Ball, has been pushing for his son to remain in California and join the Lakers, something he reiterated to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne earlier this week.

Oh, he’s going to be a Laker,” he said. “I’m going to keep talking about it until it happens.”

In his lone season with the Bruins, Ball posted 14.6 PPG, 7.6 APG and 6.0 RPG in 36 contests. As Fischer mentions, having Russell and Ball on the same team may be redundant, especially if the Lakers decide to upgrade at others positions.

While Russell is two years Ball’s elder, both athletes are 6’5″ playmakers with scoring ability. With just over a month to go until the draft, and a second overall pick in their possession, the Lakers are in prime position to draft their preferred player, maintain their core assets, and deal from a surplus to upgrade in other areas.

View Comments (31)