Report: Lakers Could Dangle Russell to get another pick in Top-5

[chiken Green]

I'm not sure if he's a fit here, but holy cow people are overreacting and underrating. Put him in this draft and there's zero chance he would last past pick #5.

Dude put up 13-3-3 and shot high 30s from 3PT as a 19 year-old rookie with lousy teammates. Post All-Star break he bumped it up to 15 ppg and 39% 3PT, and got to the line almost 4 times in 30 minutes.

He's an immature 20 year-old, yes, but that's not exactly rare in this league, and I challenge you to find better seasons from teenage point guards. The kid's still 6 months younger than Dante Exum, for example.

A Point guard who averaged 13 points on a team that won 2 games? This is suppose to be a good thing? 
I think honestly think folks are taking this age thing too far..  The age of a player means nothing - its the work he is willing to put in that is going to determine if he is special or not.. There are just as many Kwame Browns as their are Tim Duncan's (no disrespect  Tim, just saying 4 year college kids)
And the last thing about this age stuff - don't we have like one of the youngest kids in the dang on league that we are now ready to ship back to school?

[Rondo9]

I'm not sure if he's a fit here, but holy cow people are overreacting and underrating. Put him in this draft and there's zero chance he would last past pick #5.

Dude put up 13-3-3 and shot high 30s from 3PT as a 19 year-old rookie with lousy teammates. Post All-Star break he bumped it up to 15 ppg and 39% 3PT, and got to the line almost 4 times in 30 minutes.

He's an immature 20 year-old, yes, but that's not exactly rare in this league, and I challenge you to find better seasons from teenage point guards. The kid's still 6 months younger than Dante Exum, for example.

Thank you! I understand people don't like him due to being a Laker and the whole incident, but come on.

People just think his ceiling his limited due to his limited athleticism.

[Future Celtics Owner]

I think Russell's value has decreased in the short term due to the Young incident.

that's why we get him, if LAL are building for a crop of upcoming FA's they may be higher on Buddy Hield and offer a trade. Just look at his measurements and tell me he does not posses the ability to be a great defender. He did average over a steal and a few assists per game.

Everyone knows that I want Okafor bc the price should be right. But I think we should keep the #3 and use something else to get Okafor. IMO we would be lucky and wise to trade Marcus Smart alone or in a package for Okafor.
I know this is 2kish but if we could get one or both of D. Russell/Zach Lavine(one of which would play point) and Ingram for the 3(or maybe he plays 2 ala T-Mac) then we have a great 3-pt shooting tornado on our hands.....and a big we can count on to score.

And we'd be giving up 120 points a game.

Because rookies are incapable of getting better.

[Beat LA]

So here's the question, would you trade #3 straight up for Russell to either keep as a possible backcourt mate for Smart OR as trade bait for a bigger star trade?

I think this is simple - yes.

Not so simple when basically everyone disagrees with you.

These people are also basing their decision due to his ability to snapchat, so...

People are also grossly underestimating his value around the league. There are quite a few teams who'd love to have Russell to build around.

Good for them.  Let's just hope that the Celtics are not one of those clubs.  We'd be much better off, imo, in trading Jordan Mickey to Orlando for Tyler Harvey, who is easily more agile and possesses a much quicker release on his jumper than Russell.  Yeah, I know, it's completely out of left field, but Harvey's been a personal favorite of mine since around this time last year.

[alldaboston]

These responses are so funny. Someone should save this thread and come back in a few years. Most of you guys will be wrong. I would not be surprised at all if Russell is an All Star in 3-4 seasons.

[LilRip]

I'd be interested. Russell seems legit and it seems like something "clicked" for him towards the end of the season.

[LarBrd33]

I think I'd rather have Russell than what's available at #3.   Sounds like Russell is a better prospect than our options.

[LarBrd33]

Wow, a lot of people on here are severely underrating Russell, imo. Sure, that incident was stupid, but how many of us have all done stupid, immature things when we were his age? All of us did. It was an accident anyways. Still irresponsible, but it's not like he purposefully tried to break them up by snitching.

I think if he wasn't a Laker and didn't have that incident, people here would be drooling all over him. His offensive potential is ridiculous.

You are completely right.  The "Lockeroom cancer" thing is ridiculous.  I think I'd be more excited about adding Russell than jimmy butler.

[PhoSita]

I'm not interested in Russell for the 3rd pick.  He seems like a nice enough player, but I'm not sure he's ever better than a nice offensive lead guard who is average at best defensively.

I'd rather the team take a swing for the fences with #3 in this draft.

[RedClaw33]

.

[saltlover]

I'm not interested in Russell for the 3rd pick.  He seems like a nice enough player, but I'm not sure he's ever better than a nice offensive lead guard who is average at best defensively.

I'd rather the team take a swing for the fences with #3 in this draft.

He looked pretty nice defensively in college.  I remember watching a few games expecting to see a scorer, and saw someone who could handle the defensive side too.  Not Marcus Smart, but very capable.  Certainly better than average.

Didn't see him much in the pros, because why would I torture myself to watch Lakers games.  That team was set up to fail tho, and no one plays defense on those kinds of teams.

However, I don't think I'd trade #3 for him either, because I really don't think his reputation around the league will attract the free agents I want.  But if I were Minnesota, I'd trade #5 for him.  I think Thibs could whip him into shape.

[BDeCosta26]

Wow, a lot of people on here are severely underrating Russell, imo. Sure, that incident was stupid, but how many of us have all done stupid, immature things when we were his age? All of us did. It was an accident anyways. Still irresponsible, but it's not like he purposefully tried to break them up by snitching.

I think if he wasn't a Laker and didn't have that incident, people here would be drooling all over him. His offensive potential is ridiculous.

You are completely right.  The "Lockeroom cancer" thing is ridiculous.  I think I'd be more excited about adding Russell than jimmy butler.

Eh, I'd probably be happier grabbing Butler for AB and the 3rd pick than adding Russell, mostly because the majority of our team is like 24-27 and hes a star who fits right into our time-line.

That said, I think Russell is becoming a bit underrated around these parts. The locker took issues are concerning, I think it would be foolish to dismiss them because it really does affect the way people look at you, but he's a really talented player. There's a reason he went #2 overall. Kid is a really good passer, and a really good shooter. Assuming we'd move one of our guards, I could see him fitting in here.

Just like with these guys in the draft, Russell is still just a prospect. He's proven capable of providing some type of return at the NBA level, but Idk if he'd go any higher than #5 in this draft. Danny Ainge is going to try to turn that #3 pick and whatever else into a star, no matter what route he has to take. If our best chance at a star is trading for Butler, so be it. If our best chance is drafting Jaylen Brown, so be it. If it's taking Bender, or doing a trade for a guy like Russell, so be it.

I trust Ainge to do what is the best available option with that pick to get us a star player, now or in the future. That caveat will determine how we build this roster going forward.

[Kane3387]

I think I'd rather have Russell than what's available at #3.   Sounds like Russell is a better prospect than our options.

Rather have Murray. Seems like a better version of Russell.

[chambers]

Post All Star break Russell averaged 18.6 points, 4.8 assists, 3 rebounds in 31 minutes, shooting 46.3% from the field and 48% from 3 pt land.

[alldaboston]

Post All Star break Russell averaged 18.6 points, 4.8 assists, 3 rebounds in 31 minutes, shooting 46.3% from the field and 48% from 3 pt land.

Exactly. He was a stud after the All Star break.

People are gonna say "oh but it was for a crappy 17 win lakers team, good stats on a bad team".

I ask those people: could Marcus smart put up those numbers, in the same opportunity Russell had? Doubt it. And so many of us love Smart.

D'Angelo Russell will have a better career than Marcus Smart, and (possibly) a better career than anyone else available at 3.