In defense of D’Angelo Russell, who the Lakers will need heading into this season

It’s becoming increasingly likely the polarizing D’Angelo Russell will remain a Laker this season despite persisting trade buzz. Here’s why that’s more than fine.

Like in most instances, two things can be true at once. One of the worst-kept secrets around the league is the Lakers’ desire to find an upgrade from D’Angelo Russell. That’s been the case since last summer and even back when they initially drafted him.

Beyond the absence of clear avenues to do so, however, Los Angeles also needs him. Perhaps even more than they are willing to admit.

While the offseason is still technically ongoing, it is now August and it seems more likely than not that Russell has survived another game of musical chairs. And given how the summer has shaken out, that should not be perceived as a failure on the Lakers’ front.

That said, the front office’s inability to improve or even alter the roster — especially the back half — is worthy of criticism. Yet, pointing to Russell’s continued presence as chief among their missteps ignores important context.

For example, pick any hypothetical trade target that fans or reporters have discussed these past few weeks. Whether it’s the pair of wings from Brooklyn, Bruce Brown, Kyle Kuzma, Brook Lopez, or the most frequently mentioned Jerami Grant, most of these swaps would have included Russell in some form.

While it’s easy to talk yourself into each of these names as the Lakers still need help on the wing and in the frontcourt, neither are the clear backcourt upgrades the team would need in return. This is due to the shape of the roster and their tradable assets as plugging one hole in a move only unearths another.

A counterargument is the Lakers fill Russell’s shoes in-house or in free agency following a trade. But that’s easier said than done.

Although many fans have clamored for Austin Reaves to be given even more on-ball responsibility — he had a 5.4% increase in usage rate this past season — and take on more point guard duties, there has been enough evidence to suggest there’s a ceiling before seeing diminishing returns.

While Reaves has showcased plenty of on-ball chops, he still thrives most when working as a weakside creator or as someone who can extend advantages created by others. This is likely why Reaves’ true-shooting percentage was 3% higher playing next to Russell this past season, according to PBP stats. He also averaged two fewer turnovers per 100 possessions in those minutes.

Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

Other internal options include a healthy Gabe Vincent soaking up backcourt possessions and Jalen Hood-Schifino potentially getting minutes. Although Vincent is a better defender than Russell, the dropoff offensively is steep enough to have concerns about his viability as a starter.

And in the case of Hood-Schifino, following essentially a redshirt rookie season that featured season-ending back surgery, banking on him being a ready contributor feels iffy at best.

With July now come and gone, if fans were hoping for external options to serve as replacements for Russell that has also proven unlikely.

Trading for a star guard carries its own set of potential combustible consequences and an already slim free-agent class has all but been depleted. There was a window when players like Gary Trent Jr. and Tyus Jones were available and could have helped bridge the gap between the season and an eventual Russell trade, but both have signed elsewhere.

One could always point back to the Lakers’ most recent championship as an example of the team not needing a traditional on-ball guard per se. While that was the case for that team, Danny Green and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope uniquely made that possible with their combination of defense and shooting.

Neither version is walking back through that door.

LeBron James was also several years younger in 2020 and able to take on more of the playmaking workload the team lacked. Counting on James — who is set to turn 40 in December — to do that again is unlikely and unwise despite his continued excellence.

Beyond helping preserve James, there is also the importance of the Lakers having a threshold of players who can dribble, pass and shoot. Attributes that Russell arguably did better than any player outside of James this past season.

Given how much Russell’s shortcomings in the postseason have been magnified, it is easy to overlook how solid of a regular season he had and why replacing his production could prove difficult.

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For a Lakers’ team starved for shooting, the 28-year-old set the franchise record in made threes in a season and was instrumental to Los Angeles finally turning a corner on offense.

Between his 3-point stroke and ability to orchestrate the offense in the half court, the Lakers were 7.3 points better and averaged 8.0 more assist points per 100 possessions on offense with Russell on the floor this past year.

While obviously helpful, this was not simply a result of Russell benefiting from James and Anthony Davis's star power, either.

The team not only visibly missed Russell’s skillset when he was unavailable, going 1-5 in the six games he missed, but they also counted on him to shoulder more weight when James was sidelined. The Lakers ultimately went 6-5 in games James missed, including impressive wins over Boston and Milwaukee where Russell, in particular, shined.

Due to these things, there should be some intrigue to see how Russell looks within JJ Redick’s new system. During his introductory press conference, Redick mentioned the importance of on-and-off ball movement and prioritizing shooting more threes as points of emphasis for the Lakers’ offense this upcoming season. These are aspects that Russell, specifically, could help establish.

Outside leading the team in made threes this past season — 72 more than the next closest player — Russell was also one of the team’s smartest cutters.

One of the biggest reasons Russell has been a clean offensive fit since his return is his ability to read and react to the defense when not involved in a play. He does not stand idly when off the ball, instead, he has acted as one of the team’s better guard screeners and cutters by doing what I call “touch cuts.”

Essentially acting as a pseudo-ghost screen, Russell would touch the backs of off-ball defenders to signal a pick coming, but then would quickly cut into open space. This type of movement will be critical in Redick’s quest to make Davis more of a hub of the Lakers’ offense work where he can operate out of the mid-post and showcase his improved passing.

From a stylistic and skillset perspective, Russell has always checked off most of the boxes the Lakers have sought after to fit alongside James and Davis. That said, it still makes sense why those in the organization and fans alike are ready to move on.

For as talented as Russell is, the combination of his expiring contract, defensive limitations and checkered postseason past spell out why a trade could and should ultimately happen if the Lakers want to win another championship. However, these things also underline a larger inherent issue with the roster.

Russell is a flawed player who, like other flawed players on the roster and across the league, gets exposed in certain situations. Whether it comes in a matchup against a more physical team like the Denver Nuggets or when surrounded by teammates who can not cover up for shortcomings, eventually the player or the environment around them needs to change if different results are expected.

With all faults accounted for, Russell has done nearly everything that could be realistically asked of him during his latest stint in Los Angeles.

He’s been a useful innings eater for a team that is still in dire need of them. He’s been one of the few players who has proven able to shoot while wearing a Lakers jersey. And he has signed not only a team-friendly contract, but opted back into it with the knowledge that he’d be trade fodder.

You can ultimately want him gone, but it’s not his fault a move has not transpired yet.

So the team and Russell will continue to tango into the night. They both know the song is about to end but will continue to hit their practiced marks at the slightest chance of a different ending.

Although it is not the player the Lakers dreamt of locking hands with heading into the season, they should do so with the understanding they can do far worse for a dance partner.

All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass unless otherwise stated. You can follow Alex on Twitter at @AlexmRegla.