Lakers Shouldn't Sign D'Angelo Russell to New Contract amid NBA Free-Agency Rumors
The Los Angeles Lakers have several decisions to make during the upcoming NBA offseason.
Several of them will be incredibly difficult. Choosing what to do with D'Angelo Russell won't be.
This isn't about his disappearing act in the postseason, though that didn't help his case. The much bigger issue is his apparent desire for a jackpot payday. According to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer, Russell was reportedly trying to get a four-year deal worth "upward of $100 million" from the Minnesota Timberwolves prior to his February trade to L.A.
The Lakers should want no part of paying him anything close to that for reasons we'll dig into further.
They Have Bigger Priorities
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If money weren't part of this conversation, the Lakers might be able to splurge on everyone. In our reality, though, even basketball's biggest spenders have to be mindful of the budget, since the new collective bargaining agreement punishes teams that eclipse the new second tax apron.
That means free-agency shoppers must be selective, and that's where Russell could be squeezed out. Is it nice having his supplemental scoring and shooting? When he has it rolling, sure. But his offense-first, defensively indifferent game is not the ideal build for a support piece slotted alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers need as many two-way players in those spots as possible, and they have two really good ones going into restricted free agency. Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura don't seem like major flight risks, since L.A. has the right of refusal on any offer sheet they sign—Fischer wrote "it would be a true shock" if either left—but they'll be plenty pricey to keep.
The Lakers might value Reaves enough to match any offer he receives. Hachimura is likely getting matched on any offer within reason. If either of these expenditures come in higher than expected, L.A. should stomach the hit to sign these players and then make sacrifices elsewhere.
They Have Better Alternatives to Explore
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Any time a team signs or re-signs a free agent, there's an opportunity cost with the transaction. Bring back Russell, and the Lakers would cut into their cap space and have one fewer roster spot to play with.
L.A. has other options to explore first, and it's apparently doing exactly that.
The Lakers have long been connected to Kyrie Irving, who won a championship with James in Cleveland. They've also been linked to both Trae Young and Fred VanVleet regarding this summer. The viability of landing either one doesn't matter as much to this discussion as the interest itself.
It shows this organization has some level of interest in finding an upgrade over Russell.
Of course, L.A. might even find that answer in house. Dennis Schröder needs a new deal and might have made himself a larger priority than Russell in the playoffs. In the conference finals, Schröder logged over 40 more minutes than Russell (125 to 94), and L.A. was far more effective with Schröder (minus-10) than Russell (minus-47).
He Simply Isn't Worth Nearly This Much
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It's possible Russell could fetch his coveted four-year, $100 million deal this summer, and some members of the hoops world wouldn't bat an eye.
His name recognition is strong as the 2015 No. 2 pick and All-Star (2018-19). He's also put up big counting numbers on occasion (two seasons with 21-plus points and six-plus assists) and looks borderline unguardable on his best nights.
Peek under the hood, though, and there just isn't enough substance to justify a salary nearly that sizable. He is a negative on defense, and on offense, he hasn't been as efficient as he needs to be given how much time he spends on the ball. His 16.5 career player efficiency rating sits a hair above the league-average mark of 15, per Basketball Reference. Historically, his teams have fared better without him.
Paying him like a high-end starter when he might be an average one at best—it's possible his best fit would be as a spark-plug sixth man—would make no sense. Not for the Lakers, nor any of Russell's other possible suitors.
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