Report: D'Angelo Russell 'Excited' About Trade from Lakers to Nets Ahead of NBA FA

Though being traded to the Brooklyn Nets from the Los Angeles Lakers means going from a potential contender to a rebuilding squad, D'Angelo Russell is reportedly excited about the deal.

Per The Los Angeles Times' Dan Woike, Russell is excited about a new opportunity in Brooklyn after his role decreased in Los Angeles. The point guard will hit free agency this offseason and a productive season could lead to a big payday over the summer.

Russell, who was in the third season of his second stint with the Lakers, started just 10 of 29 games with Los Angeles this year after starting 69 games a year ago. Russell also started all 17 games he played with the Lakers during the 2022-23 season.

Given his role coming off the bench, Russell was playing around 26 minutes per game compared to 32.7 minutes last year. The 10th-year player averaged 12.4 points, a career-low, and 4.7 assists per game with the Lakers.

This isn't Russell's first time being traded from Los Angeles to Brooklyn. In 2017 after his first two years with the Lakers, he was sent to the Nets in exchange for Brook Lopez and Kyle Kuzma.

The trade worked in Russell's favor as he had a breakout year during the 2018-19 season. That year, Russell put up 21.1 points and 5.2 assists per game, landing on his first and only All-Star team and leading Brooklyn to the playoffs as the team's No. 1 option.

The breakout year led to Russell signing a four-year, $117 million maximum contract with the Nets as part of a sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors.

Only time will tell if Russell can have a resurgence ahead of free agency, but joining the Nets gives him a prime opportunity to do so. He'll be a veteran on a young roster and will likely be the team's No. 1 or No. 2 option, giving him the chance to remind the rest of the league what he can do when he's not stuck in a limited role.