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One of the Los Angeles Lakers’ few worthwhile trade chips reportedly has lost a lot of value around the NBA. Hampering the team’s chances of making a major deal before the start of the 2024-25 season.
Outside of making firing head coach Darvin Ham and replacing him with Lebron James’ podcast pal JJ Redick, this has been an underwhelming offseason for the Lakers. Despite trying to persuade Klay Thompson to join the roster, and interest in trading for Dejounte Murray, LA has made no worthwhile changes to the roster.
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The team has been linked to a variety of trades over the last six months,. And the belief around the game is that they will do something before they get to training camp in October. However, a player they would like to place in a potential blockbuster trade, D’Angelo Russell, is proving difficult for the team to package in trade talks.
D’Angelo Russell stats (2023-24): 18.0 PPG, 3.1 A=RPG, 6.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 42% 3PT
In a new mailbag video on his YouTube page, The Athletic Lakers reporter Jovan Buha claimed that Russell’s reputation around the game is at a low point. LA has been linked to a potential trade for Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, but Buha claims Portland has no interest in getting Russell back in a trade.
The Lakers are also considered a possible landing spot for Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas. But the Wiz don’t see the upside of a return featuring Russell.
But there is hope. Buha added that the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors don’t have as negative an opinion on Russell. And view his expiring contract as a benefit for next season. Nevertheless, the LA insider believes it is likely the Lakers wait until February’s trade deadline to make a major more.