Getty D'Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
On February 9, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired D’Angelo Russell as part of a three-team deal that also saw Jared Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley head to Lakerland.
According to the Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green, who was speaking on a recent episode of the Draymond Green Show, the Lakers have undoubtedly improved their roster; however, he believes the fit between Russell and LeBron James will be key to the trade being deemed a success.
“The Lakers got better. And, the reason they got better is not necessarily because they got better players because Russell Westbrook is still Russell Westbrook. Point blank. Period. But D’Angelo Russell is a hell of a player… I think the thing that I will watch in this trade is D-Lo’s fit next to Bron. That’s going to be a big thing because D-Lo plays at a certain pace…And so, just to see that fit and how that’s all going to come together, I think that’s important to how this trade will be judged,” Green said.
Russell returns to the Lakers as a vastly improved player and was averaging 17.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 46.5% shooting from the field and 39.1% shooting from deep for the Minnesota Timberwolves before being dealt.
Lakers Removed ‘Vampire’ From Locker Room
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, who was speaking on a recent episode of ESPN’s NBA Today, the Lakers’ decision to part ways with Westbrook has removed a vampire from their locker room.
“As one source told me, ‘You remove a vampire from the locker room.’ That meaning a vampire sucks the blood out of the locker room and Russell Westbrook moves on.”
@mcten on the Lakers trading Russ 🧛♂️
“Russell Westbrook was not gonna be part of the team after this summer when his contract expired. And also when his contract came off the books, the Lakers would have less money to deal with in the free agency period this summer. So you had to do it if you wanted to get those pieces you could have part of the team moving forward. You get younger, you got shooting, you got switchable defenders, and as one source told me, you remove a vampire from the locker room. That meaning a vampire sucks the blood out of the locker room. Russell Westbrook moves on,” McMenamin said.
Westbrook, 34, will have no shortage of interested suitors once he hits the free agent market, as his performances off the Lakers bench would have gone a long way to rebuilding his value around the NBA.
Lakers Targeting Danny Green Via Buyout
During a February 10 appearance on ESPN’s NBA Today, Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that the Lakers could be interested in acquiring Danny Green via the buy-out market – assuming he parts ways with the Houston Rockets.
“But Danny Green is the interesting player in Houston,” Wojnarowski said. “I’m told that he would like to be waived just like John Wall is being waived and not have to do a buyout. But Danny Green, teams like Boston, Cleveland, Los Angeles, they have great interest in him.”
Green was part of the Lakers’ 2020 championship run and could welcome a return to the purple and gold for another chance to win another championship alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. However, the Lakers will face some serious competition for his signature, especially as the teams being linked with interest in him are all seen as championship contenders.