Lakers final month stock watch: 2 risers, 2 fallers
By Will Eudy
Riser: D'Angelo Russell
Another of the most important players for the Lakers as of late has been D'Angelo Russell. The story of D'Lo as it relates to the Lakers is certainly an interesting one. After being drafted second overall by the franchise in 2015, he joined Kobe Bryant for his farewell season and a team that was nowhere near playoff contention.
When he returned to Los Angeles at the 2023 trade deadline, he became one of the few players to ever share the locker room with both LeBron James and Kobe over the course of their NBA career. Although he may not be at the same level as those all-time greats, D'Angelo has always been adamant about following his own career path and blocking out the outside noise.
That is precisely what he did leading up to the trade deadline this year, when it was rumored that he could be on the trading block once again. D'Lo explained how he gained a new perspective about trade season after having been in rumors for years on end. In his mind, he should not choose to worry about something he has no control over. He would rather focus on just playing basketball.
That is precisely what Russell has done over the last six weeks, and it has led to some very solid results. He has averaged north of 21 points per game since the start of February, and is shooting 51.9% from the floor over his last five games. His 44-point outburst in the Lakers' win over the Bucks last week is proof that he is reaching a new level when LA needs him to most.