In his second season with the Lakers, D’Angelo Russell might have found a place to call home.
After being drafted as the second overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft, Russell came into the league with high expectations. However, his first season with the Lakers was a rough one. He struggled with inconsistency on the court and faced scrutiny off the court for a leaked video in which he recorded teammate Nick Young admitting to infidelity.
D’Angelo Russell’s second with the Lakers
The following season, D’Angelo Russell’s second with the Lakers, started off rocky as well. He was benched for the first two games of the season and faced criticism from head coach Luke Walton for his poor decision making on the court. However, as the season progressed, Russell started to find his groove.
In February 2017, Russell had a breakout game against the Brooklyn Nets, scoring a career-high 39 points and hitting eight three-pointers. From there, he continued to play at a high level, averaging 21.4 points and 5.2 assists per game in the month of February.
Russell’s success on the court led to him being named a finalist for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. While he ultimately didn’t win the award, his performance in his second season with the Lakers showed that he was starting to live up to the expectations that came with being a high draft pick.
Unfortunately for Russell, his time with the Lakers came to an end shortly after his breakout season. In June 2017, he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets as part of a deal that brought Brook Lopez and the 27th pick in the draft to Los Angeles.
Russell’s time in Brooklyn was successful as well. In his first season with the Nets, he made his first All-Star appearance and led the team to their first playoff appearance since 2015. However, in June 2019, Russell was traded again, this time to the Golden State Warriors.
Despite being a key player for the Warriors in his lone season with the team, Russell was traded once again in February 2020, this time to the Minnesota Timberwolves. While he played well in Minnesota, the team struggled and failed to make the playoffs.
Now, after a few years of bouncing around the league, D’Angelo Russell is back where it all started: with the Lakers. In February 2021, he was traded back to Los Angeles as part of a deal that sent veteran guard and fan favorite Alex Caruso to the Timberwolves.
Since rejoining the Lakers, Russell has been a key contributor off the bench. He’s averaging 15.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, and has shown a willingness to step up in big moments.
One such moment came in April 2021, when D’Angelo Russell hit a game-winning three-pointer against the Utah Jazz. The shot was a big one for the Lakers, who were still fighting for a playoff spot at the time.
While it’s still early in his second stint with the Lakers, it’s clear that Russell is starting to find a place to call home. He’s playing well, contributing to a winning team, and seems to be enjoying himself on and off the court.
Of course, there are still challenges ahead for D’Angelo Russell and the Lakers. The team is dealing with injuries to key players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and they’ll need everyone on the roster to step up if they hope to make a deep playoff run.
But for Russell, who has spent the last few years bouncing around the league, it’s clear that being back in Los Angeles is special. He’s playing for the team that drafted him, in the city where he started his NBA career, and it seems like he’s finally found a place to call home
