The D'Angelo Russell problem the Lakers cannot solve (but need to address)

If the narrative is to be believed, then the Los Angeles Lakers need to part with D'Angelo Russell while there's still time. Russell is exceptionally talented, but his postseason play makes him a net-negative player for a team that's hoping to contend.

A mere glimpse at the bigger picture, however, reveals a far more challenging reality: For as poorly as he's performed in the playoffs, Russell has been instrumental in Los Angeles simply getting there.

The 2024 NBA Playoffs were an undeniably brutal chapter in Russell's career. He infamously scored zero points on 0-of-7 shooting during an essential Game 3, during which Los Angeles held a 53-49 lead at halftime and ultimately lost by just seven points, 112-105.

The Lakers managed to win Game 4, thus preventing a sweep, but Russell shot just 2-of-10 from beyond the arc in the decisive Game 5—a 108-106 loss.

Unfortunately, it was par for the course from Russell, who has struggled throughout his career during the playoffs. Numbers only mean so much, but his career averages of 14.2 points and 4.8 assists on .388/.327/.772 shooting through 32 postseason games speak volumes.

For as true as that may be, the one reality that the Lakers can't afford to overlook is that they wouldn't have been in the playoffs without Russell.

D'Angelo Russell struggles in the playoffs—but how do the Lakers get there without him?

The Lakers have reached the playoffs via the Play-In Tournament in each of the past two seasons. They barely escaped the .500 line in 2022-23 at 43-39, and an improved 47-35 record in 2023-24 was the eighth-best mark in the Western Conference.

One of the facts that seems to be glossed over when discussing Russell is the harsh reality that his play in the regular season has often saved Los Angeles from disaster.

This past season, Russell posted averages of 18.0 points, 6.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.0 three-point field goals made per game. He joined All-Stars Luka Doncic, Damian Lillard, Tyrese Maxey, and Donovan Mitchell as the only players to average at least 18.0 points, 6.0 assists, and 3.0 three-point field goals made per contest during the 2023-24 regular season.

Factoring in his slash line of .456/.415/.828, Russell was the only player in the NBA to hit the aforementioned averages while shooting at least 40.0 percent from beyond the arc.

Beyond the overall averages, Russell stepped up in crucial spots as the Lakers fought for postseason positioning. Los Angeles entered February at 24-25, but went 23-10 the rest of the way and ultimately found its way into the playoffs with a late-season push.

Russell appeared in all but two games during that time, and averaged 19.4 points and 6.7 assists per contest while shooting 41.3 percent from beyond the arc.

The run started with Russell dropping 16 points and 14 assists to help upset the Boston Celtics, and ended with him scoring 19 points to take down the New Orleans Pelicans in the final regular season game of the season. Just two days later, Russell tallied 21 points, six assists, and two clutch threes to help Los Angeles make the playoffs via the Play-In Tournament.

It's easy to say that trading Russell would be a case of addition via subtraction, but replacing his value will be far easier said than done.