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Lakers Trade Rumors: D’Angelo Russell for Top-5 Pick In Play?

By Cody Williams

January 26, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (1) controls the ball against Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea (5) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
January 26, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (1) controls the ball against Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea (5) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Would the Lakers really trade point guard D’Angelo Russell for a top five pick in the 2016 NBA Draft?

There are many things that can be said of the Los Angeles Lakers in their current state, but the most all-encompassing descriptor would be to say that they are a franchise in transition. Kobe Bryant is gone, their core is made up of players under-25, and they are looking to rebuild for the future. One would assume after last season that plan for the future would include D’Angelo Russell, but that might not be the case so much.

While on ESPN’s SportsCenter talking about the 2016 NBA Draft, Insider Chad Ford (via CBS Sports’ James Herbert) stated that the Lakers are exploring the possibility of dealing D’Angelo Russell in exchange for a top five pick in the draft—which would obviously be their second selection in the top five as they already own the No. 2 overall selection.

Obviously it’s shocking immediately just to see that the Lakers would consider trading Russell after just one NBA season. However, Ford noted that the point guard “burned some bridges” in regards to his teammates last season—no doubt in reference to the locker room incident with Nick Young—and that his maturity is definitely in question within the organization.

What’s interesting about the Lakers potentially trading the No. 2 pick from the 2015 NBA Draft in Russell is the notion that of what they would then do with that next pick and if they’d be able to get anything in addition to a top five pick for D’Angelo Russell. Would they look to replace D-Lo with a player like Kris Dunn at point guard or look to bolster their frontcourt with a player like Dragan Bender or Marquese Chriss? It’s hard to say as of right now.

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Considering that this is already a relatively uncertain and uneasy time for the Lakers and their fans as this draft is so important to the rebuilding process, this only adds to the anxiety of it all. Now we’ll have to see if this is all a smoke screen or if the front office is scheming away leading up to the draft.

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