The Los Angeles Lakers traded D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round draft picks to the Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith last season, and the former All-Star guard is eager to make the Lakers pay. He finished the year barely getting minutes on a rebuilding roster before signing with Dallas to be their starting point guard with Kyrie Irving out. The Mavs want to contend and will give D-Lo every opportunity to shine.
Lakers fans know how this movie ends. Russell can put up numbers in the regular season, but struggles when defenses tighten up in the playoffs. His efficiency plummets, and fans are left wondering what happened to the exciting shot-maker they saw in the regular season.
His exile in Brooklyn appears to have changed D-Lo, and the Mavericks are singing his praises early in training camp. The 29-year-old is in his prime and making just $5.6 million this season. He is ready to prove he can help a true contender and make the Lakers regret dumping him.
D’Angelo Russell is poised to make the Lakers further regret Dorian Finney-Smith trade
The Lakers gave up Russell and three second-rounders for four months of Finney-Smith and Milton. Both players left in free agency this summer, so LA has already felt plenty of pain from this trade. D-Lo has a shot to make it even worse.
The Lakers don’t need another shot creator, but Russell averaged 18.0 points, 6.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.9 steals in the 2023-24 season. He shot 41.5 percent from 3-point range and played a key role in Los Angeles making the playoffs. D-Lo can make a positive impact on a contender, and the Mavericks desperately need a creator until Kyrie Irving can return.
Russell appears locked in on the defensive end in Dallas. That has always been the biggest problem for the 6’3 guard, but he may finally shift the narrative with the Mavericks.
Head coach Jason Kidd has helped Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson take their game to new heights. The Hall of Fame point guard can offer D-Lo plenty of insight, and it may finally unlock the best version of the All-Star guard.
D’Angelo Russell is excited for his revenge season in Dallas. The Mavericks only needed him because they traded Luka Doncic to Los Angeles, and it allowed him to reunite with Anthony Davis and Max Christie. All three want to dominate the Lakers and prove Los Angeles shouldn’t have traded them. Expect plenty of hype whenever the two sides face off.
D-Lo won’t just be waiting for those contests. He must prove he is more than a minimum player, and all those factors will result in an elite year from the 29-year-old guard.
The Los Angeles Lakers believe they can compete for the championship with Luka and LeBron James leading their roster. They don’t regret dumping Russell. He has to force them to this season, and Lakers fans should keep a close eye on the developments in Dallas. The safest bet is D-Lo flames out, but expect a surprise. This just feels like the perfect fit, and it all finally comes together on the Mavericks.