Former Laker Listed as Buyout Candidate Following Trade Deadline

The Los Angeles Lakers have a pep in their step following an impressive NBA trade deadline performance. JJ Redick's squad looks ready to go on a potential championship run now that Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic and up-and-coming center Mark Williams have joined LeBron James in Los Angeles.

Even though the deadline has passed, there's still time for the Lakers and the other 29 NBA franchises to add talent. It's only a matter of time before teams begin buying out veteran contracts, allowing them to join potentially playoff-bound teams in hopes of winning a title this postseason.

As it turns out, one potential upcoming buyout is a player Lakers fans are more than familiar with.

Lakers Rumors: D'Angelo Russell Listed as Buyout Candidate

On Friday, The Athletic's John Hollinger made a list of 35 potential buyouts heading into the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign. Coming in at No. 2 on the list is none other than former Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell, who was traded to the Brooklyn Nets back in December.

"Russell is helping a tanking team win slightly too often for everyone’s tastes, so one wonders if the Nets might look to give him his wings," Hollinger wrote.

Russell, 28, was a lightning rod for criticism throughout his time with the Lakers. Although the former 2015 second-overall pick did a good job of helping the team win during the regular season, he often disappeared during the playoffs, leaving fans to hope for an eventual trade.

The frustrated Lakers fanbase had its wish granted when Russell — along with Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks — were traded to the Brooklyn Nets, sending Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to L.A.

Since returning to the Nets, Russell has averaged 14.2 points, 6.1 assists, and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 37.5% from the floor and 33.3% from deep across 14 games. Although his accuracy leaves much to be desired, his offensive output is decent enough that a potential championship contender could view him as a viable bench option.

In fact, it's worth noting that the former Ohio State Buckeye has a better true shooting percentage (55.9 TS%) coming off the bench in 22 games this season than he does in his 21 starts (51.7 TS%).

Some players thrive more in smaller roles and there isn't anything wrong with that. Russell has proven that he's more effective when he isn't under the spotlight, meaning he's best suited for a contender that already has a primary point guard.

Four different NBA teams have taken a chance on Russell throughout his 10-year career. Time will tell if he adds a fifth franchise to that list in the coming days.

In the meantime, the Lakers will head into the regular season's final stretch with the sixth-best 2024-25 NBA Finals odds (+1900) on FanDuel Sportsbook.

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