Lakers' D'Angelo Russell Had Treatment for Undisclosed Injury Ahead of Trade Deadline

Fans might be able to close the door on the idea of Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell getting moved prior to Thursday's NBA trade deadline.

Head coach Darvin Ham told reporters Russell underwent a "tune-up procedure" for an undisclosed injury on Wednesday. The team clarified to say he had a "treatment," and he's questionable to play in Thursday's game against the Denver Nuggets, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

The 2018-19 All-Star has been the topic of steady trade speculation. The ninth-place Lakers could use a shot in the arm, and any noteworthy deal would likely include him in the offer thanks to his production and $17.7 million salary.

But Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times and Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports both reported in January that Russell didn't have a lot of value on his own. The Athletic's Sam Amick followed up Tuesday to report the Atlanta Hawks in particular had displayed a "clear disinterest."

Considering Russell's market was so tepid before, undergoing any sort of medical procedure, no matter how minor, would seemingly represent the final say on any rumors.

However, details about the situation are so vague one could plausibly go in the opposite direction and speculate the team has a trade lined up and wants to take every precaution with the 27-year-old to ensure the move isn't jeopardized at the last minute.

Assuming Russell remains on the Lakers through the deadline, the team will hope he can make a quick return.

Since the start of January, he's averaging 22.2 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 44.9 percent from beyond the arc. His contributions will be important for L.A. to at least climb out of a play-in position in the second half.