JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
REPORT: D'Angelo Russell to Remain a Laker, Exercises USD 18.7 Million Player Option
D'Angelo Russell opts to stay with the Lakers, exercising his $18.7 million player option. Read below for more information.
Point guard D'Angelo Russell has decided to pick up his player option with the Los Angeles Lakers. Lakers fans had been eagerly awaiting Russell's decision regarding his player option and this news confirms that he will remain with the Lakshow at the start of the 2024/25 NBA season.
D’Angelo Russell picks the player option for the 2024/25 NBA season
The news of DLo picking up his player option came from Jordan Richard, CEO/Founder of Swish Cultures. According to Richard, DLo told him that he intends to opt into his player option and stay with the Los Angeles Lakers, and Russell's number one priority is to win a 2025 NBA championship with the Lakers.
This news is further confirmed by Shams Charania of Athletic and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
During the 2023 offseason, Russell had signed a two-year, $36 million contract with the Lakers, with the first year guaranteed and a player option for the second year. He earned $17,307,693 in the 2023/24 season and is slated to make $18,692,307 in the upcoming season after opting in.
D'Angelo Russell's performance for the Los Angeles Lakers
As D'Angelo Russell opts in, the Lakers retain a veteran ball handler who averaged 18 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in the 2023/24 NBA season. Russell's experience playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis is valuable for the team as the team aims for a championship run.
However, Russell’s performance in the playoffs has been inconsistent, which has been a point of concern for many Lakers fans. DLo had several standout games during the 2023 playoffs run, but he struggled mightily in the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets.
This inconsistency was again on display when the Lakers faced the Nuggets in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. In Game 1, DLo was poor as he scored 13 points, but in Game 2, he was terrific, scoring 23 points and starting 6/7 from beyond the arc.
Then came a horror game from Russell where he scored 0 points, missing all 7 of his shots! The inconsistency continued with back-to-back average games, and the Lakers ultimately lost the series 4-1. Throughout the series against the Nuggets, Russell was poor on the defensive end but that 0-point game drew a ton of backlash from fans and analysts.
There was widespread speculation that D'Angelo Russell might decline his player option and test free agency, fueled by early rumors suggesting he would explore other opportunities.
However, Russell has ultimately decided to opt in with the Lakers. It appears he recognizes that no other team is willing to offer a more lucrative deal than his current contract with Los Angeles and if he plays well this season, he can get a better deal next off-season. It remains to be seen how well contract year DLo plays.
D'Angelo Russell trade possibilities
With Russell's decision to stay, the Lakers now have the option to trade him during the season. His $18.7 million salary could be used to match contracts in potential trades for players like Malcolm Brogdon, Bogdan Bogdanovic, or even bigger stars such as Lauri Markkanen or Trae Young. Acquiring such players would likely require additional assets, including draft picks, but it could be a strategic move for the Lakers.
Jaxon Hayes re-signs with Lakers as they await LeBron’s contract extension
After D'Angelo Russell, Shams Charania of Athletic has confirmed that Jaxon Hayes is picking up his player option to remain with the Lakers for the 2024/25 NBA season.
At the same time, the Lakers are eagerly awaiting LeBron James to sign his extension as soon as possible. They are also awaiting decisions from other role players - Christian Wood, who has a $3,036,040 player option, and Cam Reddish, who has $2,463,946 player options. The team's offseason strategy hinges on these decisions to build a strong roster for the upcoming season.
As of now, D'Angelo Russell and Jaxon Hayes are set to start the season with the Lakers, providing the team with a proven playmaker and athletic slasher. Whether they remain with the team for the entire season or become part of a trade deal will be a storyline to watch.
Latest Articles
