Getty Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell
With the 2019 NBA Draft now in the books, it means free agency is just around the corner. In turn, the rumors and rumblings are only going to pick up steam, and the Los Angeles Lakers are bound to remain a talking point in the immediate future. But the latest report related to the Lakers links them to a player who many believe would be a major longshot signing in Brooklyn Nets guard D’Angelo Russell.
The thought of Russell and the Lakers reuniting understandably seems like a longshot after the team traded him just two years after selecting him No. 2 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. But as Arye Abraham reported, the Lakers have “strong interest” in Russell as free agency approaches.
The chatter here is interesting, to say the least, but things escalated a bit thanks to one of the Lakers’ newest acquisitions in Anthony Davis. While Davis is heading to Los Angeles via trade, his recent off-court move caught the attention of Lakers fans.
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Anthony Davis Follows D’Angelo Russell on Instagram
As the saying goes – timing is everything. Shortly after the rumors about the Lakers having interest in Russell came to light, Davis followed the Nets guard on Instagram, as Ball Realm revealed.
After checking out Davis’ Instagram, he’s still following Russell as well, and while this doesn’t necessarily mean a ton, it does create some fun drama just prior to free agency. The Lakers have been linked to a number of free agents thus far, but it’s believed that Kawhi Leonard is at the top of their list. Regardless, Russell could prove to be in the mix for the team, depending on how things play out with Leonard.
D’Angelo Russell’s Contract & Time With Lakers
Russell, who’s just 23 years old, is a restricted free agent (per Spotrac), so the Nets have the chance to match any offer which comes his way this offseason. There appears to be a strong possibility that he receives a max contract offer from someone in free agency, but his chances to remain in Brooklyn are very much up in the air.
If the Nets make a push to land both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving this offseason, which is expected, then keeping Russell is fairly unlikely. It’s unknown what either of the two superstars will choose to do and where they’ll sign, which also makes Russell’s future tough to sort out.
Russell played just two seasons with the Lakers, and over the span of 143 games averaged 14.3 points, 4.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 40.8 percent from the field. After a solid but not spectacular first season with the Nets, he thrived during the 2018-19 season and appears to have hit his stride.
After posting marks of 21.1 points, 7.0 assists and 3.9 rebounds last year in Brooklyn, Russell was named an NBA All-Star and saw his free agency stock skyrocket.
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