When D'Angelo Russell hits unrestricted free agency this summer, his agent will almost certanly pull up clips of his client's Game 3 Western Conference semifinal performance against the Golden State Warriors. Russell scored the Los Angeles Lakers' first 11 points, and that the hot start sparked what would become a 30-point win.
Russell finished with 21 points, three rebounds and five assists on 8-of-13 shooting and 5 of 8 from 3-point land in the Lakers' 127-97 victory Saturday night. Los Angeles took a 2-1 series lead and will host Game 4 Monday night.
That was the type of output that the Lakers were hoping to get when they acquired Russell at the trade deadline in early February and why, for all his faults, some team is going to pay him a lot of money in the offseason. Russell, for one, would be happy if it's the Lakers.
Following his crucial performance on Saturday, Russell spoke to The Athletic and opened up on his past and future. Perhaps most notably, he mentioned how much better he feels playing in Los Angeles.
The Athletic: So after that situation in Minnesota, where it seemed like you knew you'd be on the move and it wasn't a long-term path, how much are you enjoying this?
Russell: How much am I enjoying this? I felt like I was held back there, honestly. I just kind of had to be the third option. Some nights, I was a little more aggressive and was kind of being held back. So to be in a position now where I can kind of thrive and be aggressive and it gets guys going, and where the team reflects off of anybody with that type of energy, it's fun.
Russell's minutes, shot attempts, points and assists with the Lakers are all nearly identical to his numbers with the Timberwolves this season, but it's clear he feels more empowered in his current situation.
| Russell in 2022-23 | Minutes | Field goal attempts | Points per game | Assists per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
With Timberwolves | 32.9 | 13.5 | 17.9 | 6.2 |
With Lakers | 30.9 | 13.0 | 17.4 | 6.1 |
It's also worth noting that he was openly feuding with Rudy Gobert earlier this season, and simply getting out of that environment may be a big part of his explanation. Russell did clarify that he never asked out of Minnesota, but expected a trade would come.
When asked specifically if he would like to stay with the Lakers, Russell said yes.
The Athletic: I know it's down the road, but how do you see free agency? I assume you want to stay here?
Russell: I would love to stay here, but I would have loved to be in Minnesota too. So wherever my feet are, that's where I'm gonna be.
The Athletic: Well to me, as I'm watching this game tonight, I'm thinking there's a pretty good role for you here.
Russell: They've got a decision to make, don't they? So we'll see.
The Lakers gave up their coveted 2027 first-round pick in the deal to acquire Russell, so it follows that they would be eager to re-sign him, especially after how he's played since arriving back in town.
He's a talented offensive player who can take some of the creation and scoring responsibilities off the shoulders of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and they have the defensive infrastructure to make up for his shortcomings on that side of the ball. For Russell, getting a second chance with the team that drafted him No. 2 overall in 2015 and competing in the playoffs would certainly be enticing.
Russell re-signing with the Lakers makes sense for both parties, but we'll have to wait until July to see what happens.
