Should the Lakers consider trading their hot and cold star point guards?

D’Angelo Russell’s second stint with the Los Angeles Lakers this season may not last long. The Lakers experienced their first swing in the young 2024-25 NBA season after losing their last game to the Cleveland Cavaliers by 24 points.

This marked their second defeat in a row after starting the campaign unbeaten at 3–0. Several factors have contributed to L.A.’s ups and downs, but Russell has been the common denominator who has so far consistently underwhelmed.

Lakers star D’Angelo Russell is not playing at an All-Star level this season.

The former 2019 NBA All-Star shot below 40 percent from the field in four of Los Angeles’ five games. He also recorded more than five assists on only one occasion. Most importantly, Russell boasts a roughly 25 percent shooting rate from 3-point range.

The silver lining to the Ohio State player’s season thus far is his impeccable 5.8-1.4 assist-to-turnover ratio, but that effective ball-care doesn’t outweigh the impact he doesn’t have on the offense. Russell is not known for his defense, and this is exacerbated by his slow pace of play at times. This contributed to him being traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Lakers back in the 2022-23 season, and could see him being dealt away from Los Angeles for a second time at some point this year. .

Lakers: Russell’s strengths and contract could make him a desirable trade option

Russell is a great distributor, a great outside shooter and one of the few players in the Association who can be counted on to make it big. However, as has been the case throughout his career, he has periods of cold that can sometimes last a long time, and he also tends to take the air out of the offense due to the way he operates with the ball in his hand in the half court. .

So, the Lakers might be wise to look for a franchise to take the 28-year-old off their hands and compensate them with a player who can fill one of their other needs. Los Angeles doesn’t have a starting center and could move Russell to a team in need of point guard help in exchange for a quality player.

Most teams are based in shared facilities, but teams like the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets, who could use a primary or secondary playmaker, would be suitable trade partners for Los Angeles , especially in their current stages of restoration and refurbishment. .

Considering Russell is only on the Lakers’ roster until the end of the season, earning $18.69 million, his expiring contract could be even more attractive to other teams and allow Los Angeles to get something in return for his services rather than for potential surveillance of him. I’ll hit free agency next offseason.