D'Angelo Russell Trade Rumors: Teams Asking Lakers About PG After Draft Lottery

The Los Angeles Lakers landed the No. 2 pick in Tuesday's NBA draft lottery, and multiple teams responded by "evaluating trade packages for D'Angelo Russell," Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated reported.

Fischer noted Russell could be a cheaper backcourt option for teams who don't want to spend big money in free agency since he has two years remaining on his rookie deal. 

The upcoming draft is loaded with guards, which could make moving Russell attractive for the Lakers. A trade would open up a spot in the rotation for a draft target like Lonzo Ball, giving Los Angeles the opportunity to bolster its frontcourt or add future assets.

DraftExpress has guards Markelle Fultz and Ball as the top two picks in its most recent mock, while backcourt playmakers De'Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Dennis Smith Jr. are also in the top 10.

Russell was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft and averaged 15.6 points and 4.8 assists per game in his second season in the league. He shot 35.2 percent from three-point range and was versatile enough to play point or shooting guard.

The Lakers could also draft Ball and move Russell off the ball as a shooter who can focus more on scoring and less on facilitating and ball-handling, but they also have Jordan Clarkson in the guard rotation.

Los Angeles at least has some options as it continues its rebuild after missing the playoffs each of the past four seasons.