NBA Rumors: Lakers Prefer to Use D'Angelo Russell in Sign-and-Trade; VanVleet Linked

The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly have interest in using D'Angelo Russell as part of a sign-and-trade agreement this summer.

Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported the Lakers would prefer a sign-and-trade scenario over retaining Russell and have Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet on their radar as a potential target.

The Lakers acquired Russell in a deadline deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He averaged 17.4 points and 6.1 assists while shooting 41.4 percent from three-point range to engender faith from the Lakers, only to go and squander it in the postseason.

The Ohio State product was the worst player on the roster in the Lakers' Western Conference Finals loss to the Denver Nuggets, averaging 6.3 points and 3.5 assists on a horrific 32.3 percent shooting. Over the course of his career, Russell has consistently wilted in the postseason, shooting just 38.9 percent from the floor while seeing precipitous drops in his counting stats.

In 2022, the Minnesota Timberwolves benched Russell in favor of Jordan McLaughlin in the final game of the season. A year later, the Lakers sent Russell packing from their starting lineup in their final game.

Those postseason failures may depress Russell's value enough that he becomes a value on the open market, making re-signing him more palatable. However, the idea of a sign-and-trade seems unlikely—especially for someone the caliber of VanVleet, who is among the most coveted players in this free-agent class.

The Lakers could also target Kyrie Irving, who has made no secret about his interest in playing with LeBron James again, but that would also require help from the Dallas Mavericks in the form of a sign-and-trade.

In the end, it's more likely than not that the Lakers apathetically keep Russell than use him as part of a larger deal.