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Reason Behind D’Angelo Russell’s Makeshift Contract With Lakers Gets Revealed by ESPN Insider
D'Angelo Russell is one of the players with the LA Lakers who has struggled to perform on a regular and an insider revealed his contract situation.
The perimeter defense of the Los Angeles Lakers completely collapsed during the 2023–24 season. Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell, as guard tandems, frequently failed to contain opposing guards. Reaves found it difficult to pick and roll, while Russell lacked the quickness to outwit guards who were on the move.
Tim Bontemps stated on ESPN's The Hoop Collective podcast that Russell's poor defensive play is why the Lakers won't offer him a long-term deal.
The ESPN insider cited D'Lo's current two-year, $36 million contract with the Lakers to support his claim. A player option covered Russell's 2024–2025 season. Rather than evaluating his value in the market, the 28-year-old chose to extend his contract with the Lakers into the second year.
Russell's decision, according to Bontemps, was an admission that his limited defensive skills would have prevented him from signing a better deal in free agency. The Lakers, according to the ESPN insider, have only extended this "makeshift contract" offer to him because they do not view him as a long-term member of their core.
Tim Bontemps said, “At the end of the day, if the Lakers are going to be a championship-contending team that people want them to be, what they really need to do is turn D’Angelo Russell into a guy who can both hit threes and guard. Austin Reaves is clearly a guy who’s part of their core going forward; D’Angelo Russell is not, which is why he was on his two-year makeshift deal in the first place.”
The Los Angeles Lakers don't have a chance to win a championship, in Bontemps' opinion, unless the left-handed guard matches his excellent perimeter defense with his long-range shooting. However, he also stated that the Lakers do not intend to make any more investments in Russell and that they view Austin Reaves as their long-term guard.
“It’s why he [D’Lo] opted into his contract this summer because he knew there wasn’t a big market for his services,” he added.
Russell is not likely to get a deal worth about $18 million. Players in their late 20s who possess excellent offensive skills but poor defensive play are accepting minimum deals following the adoption of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Since the previous season, the Lakers have also indicated that they intend to trade D'Angelo Russell. He was regarded as a trade chip to acquire Dejounte Murray during the February deadline, but ultimately things didn't work out.
ALSO READ: D'Angelo Russell Opens Up on Playing in Kobe Bryant's Last NBA Game: ‘Booing You’
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