D’Angelo Russell, Brook Lopez and Jonas Valanciunas

D’Angelo Russell has been the talk of the town since the start of the offseason because he surprisingly picked up his player option for the 2024-25 season.

Russell was expected to opt out and seek a new contract with the Los Angeles Lakers or another team, but by picking up the option he exposes himself to a trade later in the year.

As his contract expires, Russell could be a solid trade asset for a team looking to shed long-term salaries. However, so far the Lakers have been unable to find a trade partner for Russell and will likely have to wait until the annual NBA trade deadline to make a move.

According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, Los Angeles is signaling that Russell is available and is looking to specifically strengthen the frontcourt:

“D’Angelo Russell is on the roster and will be available to the Lakers as a departing soldier,” said Fischer. “The Center Spot is a place that we know Los Angeles has sought to modernize and will continue to do so. We mentioned Brook Lopez at the beginning of this show; He’s someone I’ve been told is on the Lakers’ list of potential targets. As we said before, Jonas Valanciunas is another name I would keep an eye on for the future there and someone I was told over the summer was on the Lakers’ internal board of center options.”

The Lakers’ need for a center isn’t new, considering they were linked to several different big men in free agency, but it confirms that the team is focused on the position in every deal they make to tackle. Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez would be a great partner for Anthony Davis when it comes to floor spacing and shot defense, while the Washington Wizards’ Jonas Valanciunas could take on some of the tougher defensive games against true centers.

Although Russell emphasized that he will do everything he can to help Los Angeles win games, it feels like his time with the franchise may be coming to an end.

LeBron James praises D’Angelo Russell for making sacrifices to move to the bench

To add fuel to the fire, head coach JJ Redick recently decided to bring D’Angelo Russell off the bench to balance the lineup. After the Lakers’ recent win against the Philadelphia 76ers, LeBron James praised Russell for the sacrifice and accepting a bench role.

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