By Thursday afternoon, the Los Angeles Lakers will know exactly what team they’ll have for the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign. The NBA trade deadline is two days away, normally meaning some nervous moments for players whose names have consistently been on the trade block, like Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell.
Russell has been named in just about every rumor involving the Lakers. The Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors have all been tied to him as destinations that either have interest in him as a player or as salary ballast for a player the Lakers want to acquire. At this point, it seems as though if the Lakers are going to make a major move, Russell is likely to be involved.
But this is nothing new for the veteran guard, as he has been traded four times in eight seasons. All of that movement has given him a different perspective on how to approach the deadline and the associated rumors, via Spectrum SportsNet:
“I don’t care. At all. Just show up to work. That’s it.”
Russell is aware of why he is on the block, namely the dollar amount of his contract being in the perfectly tradeable range. But that is, again, not his focus:
“I can’t control that my contract makes sense to be traded. So just play. Can’t control that. Once again, I don’t care. At all.”
Russell could have avoided all of the rumors by signing a traditional 1+1 deal in the offseason. Normally, a player signing a two-year deal with a player option on the second season gives them a de facto no-trade clause in Year 1. However, Russell chose to waive that, opening himself up to immediate rumors. He explained why he was willing to do that:
“I just thought it made sense. Obviously I’ve been here before, I’ve played for the Lakers before so I know what the requirements to be successful here are. If you’re a part of the future here, you’ll be successful. If not, you’ll get traded. I’ve been traded before here so my approach is just a little different. I really just genuinely, humbly don’t care because I know I can’t control it, one, and two, I just won’t allow my mind to go there. I like to focus on this and you guys see how I’ve been focusing on basketball and not comments and what’s trending on social.”
Getting traded is a part of the routine for Russell. So at this point, he has moved past caring about whether or not he’ll be dealt. It’s part of what has allowed him to play some of the best basketball of his entire career in recent weeks, as he is playing more carefree than anyone could have expected him to given the situation.
The Lakers have a big decision on their hands and only two days to make it. Russell has two days to find out if his next game is as a Laker or on the other coast.
L.A. recently lost Jarred Vanderbilt to injury, perhaps for the rest of the season, which is a massive blow to their perimeter defense. With that being the case, finding a similar type player seems to be the top priority for Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office.
