D’Angelo Russell discusses his continuous difficulties.
D’Angelo Russell has failed to establish a consistent spot in the rotation since joining the Lakers again. Russell’s role has significantly decreased over the last several weeks due to his inability to make baskets on the court, going from starter to sixth man to bench player. For the first time since everything went south, Russell has now addressed the matter and clarified his position on everything.
Russell stated on the podcast “The Back Yard” that “I get into my flow state in the pick and roll, when it comes to sitting the game.” “I can therefore control the game if I can use pick and roll and manage who is defending me. I exited the game if I missed you all. I feel like I’m at my best, though, when I’m getting it done and doing what I know I can do—that is, when I have a roller and a shooter.”
It’s evident from this statement that Russell desires greater control over the offense. Russell would much rather handle the ball himself and run sets for other players than play off the ball and be more of a catch-and-shoot guy. Russell is unfortunate because LeBron James is the Lakers’ best offensive coordinator, which further muddies the waters.
D’Angelo Russell has issues.
Theoretically, the Lakers should be vying for D’Angelo Russell, but due to his possession mentality and unreliable shooting, he is incompatible with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Russell’s case isn’t helped by the reality that he can only be effective when he’s scoring the ball and is a liability on defense. This season has been chaotic due to these reasons, and Russell’s numbers have decreased overall following a stellar start. He is averaging 146 points, 6.1 assists, and 0.8 steals per game through 34 games, for a 46% shooting percentage.
Playing just 17 minutes against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday was arguably D’Lo’s lowest point of the season. Even though he scored 11 points, he was surpassed by bench players such as Christian Wood, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Max Christie. With Russell out of the picture and Gabe Vincent still awaiting his comeback, the Lakers have no answers for the void in their backcourt. After a recent slump, they appear to be stabilizing for the time being, but if the losses start to mount up once more, things might become ugly.
Hard Choices For Darvin Ham
The Lakers coach will undoubtedly have to make some tough decisions in the near future. After pressure from the fans, he is starting Austin Reaves at last, but as Cam Reddish’s playing time is decreasing each week, everyone is still confused about his game strategy. In addition, Austin Reaves has merited a place in the starting lineup at last. It will be interesting to watch how long Reaves sticks with the starting lineup following reports of a “problem” between him and Ham.
And D’Angelo Russell is at the center of it all. Whatever transpires over the next few weeks will force the franchise to take a certain course, regardless of whether he is dealt this season. Now it’s up to him to step up into his role, develop into the player the Lakers need him to be, and finally dispel everyone’s doubts.
Leave a Reply