Lakers rumors: Could the Lakers consider shopping D’Angelo Russell?

Direct leadership

It’s one thing to know that Russell is a great player. It’s another to realize he can mesh well with teammates.

What the ultimate x-factor moving forward is, however, is if he’ll step up to the plate in terms of leadership.

The team can only do so much while going in several different directions — they need someone who will guide them through the process, not just go through it with them.

That’s where things get tricky for Russell.

It shows the amount of weight that expectations can bring while playing in a city like Los Angeles.

If the stage is too bright, there are plenty of people lining up for the same opportunity.

Should Russell pass the first two tests but fail to become a dependable leader, even from the sideline, it could come to pass that the team wishes to move in a different direction.

The thing about this franchise is that they’re not used to not having a leader. From every generation of great players that have been part of the team, there’s always been a clear leader in charge.

While we wait for that leader to emerge, we also have to wait and see if it turns out to be D’Angelo Russell after all.