Entering the 2024-25 regular season, a case could be made that D'Angelo Russell was the single most polarizing player in the NBA. Despite producing at a level that put him on par with some of the best guards in the Association, the Los Angeles Lakers standout was labeled untradable.
Fast forward to the final third of November and Russell has silenced his critics by embracing a new role and evolving into the player few believed he could become.
Russell struggled to find his place in Redick's rotation early in 2024-25, thus stoking the flames of the rampant trade rumors that have followed him throughout his career. Since accepting a move from the starting lineup to the second unit, however, he's become an all but entirely different player—and head coach JJ Redick is calling attention to his success.
Following the Lakers' 124-118 win over the Utah Jazz, Redick praised Russell for pacing the team to victory with his facilitating, defense, and general involvement.
JJ Redick talks about Dalton Knecht’s career night and the Lakers remaining undefeated at home and in the NBA Cup. pic.twitter.com/DHZbRKGjIu
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) November 20, 2024
For those who can't watch the video, Redick had the following to say about Russell:
“They tried to run zone and we kind of shot them out of it. That was all D-Lo. We had talked during a free throw to just get to this, and you know DK checked in the game, D-Lo sets the flare screen for him for that fourth or fifth one in that run. I don’t know what his stats are offensively, but D-Lo was great tonight. Orchestrating defensively and his activity. The guy had a low man blocked shot against John Collins. That stuff does not go overlooked. He was great tonight.”
It was the type of performance that epitomizes how Russell has grown from the player who couldn't escape the trading block into the glue off the bench.
JJ Redick refuses to overlook the positive D'Angelo Russell provides
If one were to follow the stat sheet, they'd likely come to the conclusion that Russell is in the midst of a dreadful season. He's shooting just 38.2 percent from the field and 28.9 percent from beyond the arc, which admittedly paints the picture of a string of poor performances.
Russell's selfless approach to being moved to the second unit, however, has been the catalyst to the Lakers' recent string of success.
Los Angeles is 6-2 since Russell joined the second unit, and that fact shouldn't be confused with a case of addition by subtraction. He's elevated the bench from among the worst in the NBA to strong enough to adequately supplement the top-tier starting lineup.
In terms of his individual production, he's averaging 10.4 points in 23.8 minutes per game as a reserve—more than half of the 20.6 the second unit averaged overall before his arrival.
With Russell giving the bench mob a desperately needed boost on offense, the Lakers have taken a massive step forward. The starters can more comfortably head to the bench for brief moments of respite knowing that a former All-Star is available to pace the second unit.
Regardless of who's on the court with him, Russell has evolved into a player who can ideally complement those around him.
Russell is more engaged on defense, encouraging the extra pass on offense, and prioritizing his teammates' success. As such, it should come as no surprise that the Lakers are outscoring opponents by 7.4 points per 100 possessions when he's on the court and are being outscored by a team-worst 13.1 when he isn't.
It may take time for fans to give Russell the credit he's earned in 2024-25, but Redick isn't waiting to recognize one of the Lakers' most valuable players.