- 82,298
- 117,295
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2010
45 for Dame. Book it.
**LA LAKERS THREAD** Sitting on 17! 2023-2024 offseason begins
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by licensed to ball,
- Start date
- 23,881
- 31,220
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2017
Vando can lol
- 967
- 724
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2009
If anything Dame prob lost some motivation for revenge w/ Bev not here anymore after the whole broken watch celebration
Either way I just wanna see AD back to doing AD things and we get this dub regardless what they do
- 22,487
- 16,268
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2017
Jason Timpf has turned into Cowherd since they joined forces. He loves big ticket statements like Cowherd and ignores glaring facts to prove his point
- 39,405
- 42,919
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2006
This could be one of those games where you let Dame get his but prevent everyone else from getting thiers.
You do that and it could be a win.
Either way, must win game, AD should EAT tonight.
You do that and it could be a win.
Either way, must win game, AD should EAT tonight.
- 91,277
- 125,476
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2010
- 22,487
- 16,268
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2017
AD should eat tonight.
AD:
AD:
- 18,700
- 13,033
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2006
Simmons might go off
But with Grant and Nurkic out, this gotta be a win
But with Grant and Nurkic out, this gotta be a win
- 91,277
- 125,476
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2010
- 39,174
- 40,491
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2013
bron knows playoff mode has to be activated
- 91,277
- 125,476
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2010
Lakers’ D’Angelo Russell is ready for his second chance in L.A.: ‘I’m a grown man now’
At halftime of the Lakers’ 109-103 win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Davis and LeBron James (out with a foot injury) congregated in the locker room in front of the visitor’s whiteboard.
They began drawing up plays, scheming where they envision each of them in different offensive actions that the Lakers run.
“Me and DLo literally talked the entire game about pick-and-roll, what I see, what he see; what he like, what I like; where he like the ball,” Davis said. “Just throughout the course of the game, just trying to build that chemistry on the fly — with no practice and only having film and things. Just did a great job of communicating.”
One of the themes in the Lakers’ first win with their new group was Russell’s communication style. He was talking to his teammates and coaches the entire game, asking questions, making suggestions and adapting seamlessly.
Rui Hachimra, who tied his second-highest scoring game as a Laker with 16 points, partially credited his new teammate for sparking the performance.
“DLo did a good job, you know, he was talking to everybody,” Hachimura said. “He was talking to me before the game, how he wants to do defense, offense. He was talking to me during the game and stuff, and that kinda helped me … flow into the game.”
Russell’s Lakers debut started slowly, as both he and Davis noted, but he eventually found his groove, finishing with 15 points, five rebounds and six assists. The Lakers were a team-best plus-12 in his 35 minutes. He shot 50.0 percent and didn’t turn over the ball.
Russell plays at his own pace. He’s crafty and measured with the ball, always poking and prodding the defense. He tends to look for his shot first, which is why he isn’t viewed as a traditional point guard. But he’s a capable passer and finisher who adds a unique wrinkle to the Lakers’ offense with his pick-and-roll attack and off-the-dribble shooting.
There were glimpses of the two-man game he and Davis are still working through and hope to cultivate sooner than later.
“Really was just trying to play off him,” Russell said of Davis. “Obviously him being involved in the action, if I have the ball or whatnot, there’s a lot of gravity that calls for. So, for me to just try to capitalize off that so my man has to be honest and he doesn’t have the tendency to leave me and migrate towards him, giving him space to operate and seeing ways he can compliment me as well in the in-between game.”
Davis added: “I obviously know how he plays, how he likes to play. But it’s different when you’re guarding it, and now you’re in an action. So like I said, that constant communication. We had some times we hit on some plays. Sometimes we missed. But it comes with chemistry building, and I think for the most part, as long as we continue to talk, we’ll be fine.”
Russell, a 26-year-old former All-Star, was the Lakers’ prized addition during a flurry of trade-deadline moves that also yielded Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba and Davon Reed, as well as Hachimura two weeks earlier.
The reunion offers a second chance for both the Lakers and Russell, who they selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. At the time, Russell was viewed as the franchise’s point guard of the future and superstar successor to Kobe Bryant, with whom he played during his rookie season. Russell flashed his potential throughout his tenure in Los Angeles, but his time was marred by the franchise’s dysfunction, Bryant’s season-long swan song and Russell’s immaturity, among other reasons.
In 2017, the Lakers dealt Russell, along with Timofey Mozgov, to Brooklyn in exchange for Brook Lopez and the No. 27 pick, which became Kyle Kuzma. Russell went on to become an All-Star in his second season in Brooklyn before being dealt to Golden State in the sign-and-trade that landed the Nets Kevin Durant. After half a season with the Warriors, Golden State traded Russell to Minnesota for Andrew Wiggins. Then, finally, Russell was the centerpiece of last week’s three-team deal for the Lakers.
“A lot has happened since I’ve been here, right?” Russell said at his introductory press conference Friday. “I was an All-Star, went to the playoffs. I’ve done a lot of things individually. So to come back with that resume, I feel like it helps the team or whatnot.”
Regarding his first stint in Los Angeles, specifically, Russell said he should’ve appreciated the tutelage of Bryant more and the rare opportunity he had to learn from one of the game’s greats on a daily basis.
“When I reflect on my time in the past, it’s all Kobe,” Russell said. “All Kobe. I had some growing pains, and I played on the court. But all that was really a blur. Appreciating Kobe when I was here wasn’t really something I did because I was young and I was figuring it out. But as soon as I left, I appreciated him more. Now that he’s gone, I appreciate him even more. So when I reflect on that Lakers tenure when I was here, it’s all a reflection of him.”
The bright lights of Los Angeles, and particularly playing for the Lakers, aren’t for everyone. During his first stint, Russell wasn’t sure if he could handle playing for the Lakers. Now, after years in different environments, he welcomes the spotlight and all of the pressure that comes with it.
“I never hoped to be back here because I didn’t understand if I could be ready for it and be a part of what they were doing for the future,” Russell said. “But I’m here now, and I really appreciate being back, because I feel like I’m ready for everything that’s about to come for the team and whatever comes my way.”
Russell certainly doesn’t lack confidence. He referred to himself as an “alpha” in “whatever room I’m in” in his introductory press conference. At the same time, he has been incredibly reflective about his first go-round in Los Angeles and the growth and progress he’s made during his career.
He’s also been deferential to James and Davis, acknowledging that they’re all-time greats who have already won a championship together. He recognizes he’s the one who needs to adjust.
“Obviously what they have works,” Russell said. “So, for me to fit with them, I got to figure out how I can fit and I think that’s going to happen over time and experience, being in a situation.”
Russell is in the last year of his contract (he’s making $31.4 million) and is eligible to receive an extension up until June 30. The maximum the Lakers can offer him is two years, $67.5 million. Whether the Lakers offer Russell that deal, or an even larger and/or longer contract in free agency, will be determined by multiple factors, including his performance and fit on and off the court.
“I think the last 26 games for our team — and hopefully more — I think are a data point of a piece of information for sure,” Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said. “But clearly just one piece of a lot of information. … There’s a lot to look at when you’re assessing a player and there’s a lot there and he’s been very successful. So, it won’t just be about his 26 games here, but that will certainly be one piece of information we’ll look at as we decide kind of how to fit our salary cap together and planning going forward.”
Aside from the 2018-19 Nets and 2021-22 Timberwolves — both first-round-and-out teams — Russell has only played for lottery teams. He has certain habits and tendencies that the Lakers will need to extract to maximize him during a playoff run.
The Lakers took a reasonable gamble on Russell, as they needed to move on from Russell Westbrook, and they determined their best path forward would be executing 2023 free agency early. But it’s a gamble, nonetheless. The success of the partnership is far from a certainty. Four teams — including the Lakers — have decided through the years that it was in their best interest to move on from Russell.
While Hachimura, Beasley, Vanderbilt and Bamba are role players who fill various needs for the Lakers, Russell is the headliner. He’s the former All-Star, the former No. 2 overall pick, the player making over $30 million this season.
The Lakers have made it clear that he’s someone they view as a potential long-term piece around James and Davis.
“We do see him not just as a player that’s a short-term rental,” Pelinka said. “So, we think that he’s a player that can really fit nicely, again, with our core pieces of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, just bringing spacing and shooting and playmaking and efficiency. We’re really excited to see him out there with our team.”
Russell shares that excitement. He’s out for redemption, out to finally find stability, out to prove that he’s grown over the past half-decade.
“I’m a grown man, now, I’m not a child,” Russell said. “I’m just excited to showcase it.”
At halftime of the Lakers’ 109-103 win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Davis and LeBron James (out with a foot injury) congregated in the locker room in front of the visitor’s whiteboard.
They began drawing up plays, scheming where they envision each of them in different offensive actions that the Lakers run.
“Me and DLo literally talked the entire game about pick-and-roll, what I see, what he see; what he like, what I like; where he like the ball,” Davis said. “Just throughout the course of the game, just trying to build that chemistry on the fly — with no practice and only having film and things. Just did a great job of communicating.”
One of the themes in the Lakers’ first win with their new group was Russell’s communication style. He was talking to his teammates and coaches the entire game, asking questions, making suggestions and adapting seamlessly.
Rui Hachimra, who tied his second-highest scoring game as a Laker with 16 points, partially credited his new teammate for sparking the performance.
“DLo did a good job, you know, he was talking to everybody,” Hachimura said. “He was talking to me before the game, how he wants to do defense, offense. He was talking to me during the game and stuff, and that kinda helped me … flow into the game.”
Russell’s Lakers debut started slowly, as both he and Davis noted, but he eventually found his groove, finishing with 15 points, five rebounds and six assists. The Lakers were a team-best plus-12 in his 35 minutes. He shot 50.0 percent and didn’t turn over the ball.
Russell plays at his own pace. He’s crafty and measured with the ball, always poking and prodding the defense. He tends to look for his shot first, which is why he isn’t viewed as a traditional point guard. But he’s a capable passer and finisher who adds a unique wrinkle to the Lakers’ offense with his pick-and-roll attack and off-the-dribble shooting.
There were glimpses of the two-man game he and Davis are still working through and hope to cultivate sooner than later.
“Really was just trying to play off him,” Russell said of Davis. “Obviously him being involved in the action, if I have the ball or whatnot, there’s a lot of gravity that calls for. So, for me to just try to capitalize off that so my man has to be honest and he doesn’t have the tendency to leave me and migrate towards him, giving him space to operate and seeing ways he can compliment me as well in the in-between game.”
Davis added: “I obviously know how he plays, how he likes to play. But it’s different when you’re guarding it, and now you’re in an action. So like I said, that constant communication. We had some times we hit on some plays. Sometimes we missed. But it comes with chemistry building, and I think for the most part, as long as we continue to talk, we’ll be fine.”
Russell, a 26-year-old former All-Star, was the Lakers’ prized addition during a flurry of trade-deadline moves that also yielded Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba and Davon Reed, as well as Hachimura two weeks earlier.
The reunion offers a second chance for both the Lakers and Russell, who they selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. At the time, Russell was viewed as the franchise’s point guard of the future and superstar successor to Kobe Bryant, with whom he played during his rookie season. Russell flashed his potential throughout his tenure in Los Angeles, but his time was marred by the franchise’s dysfunction, Bryant’s season-long swan song and Russell’s immaturity, among other reasons.
In 2017, the Lakers dealt Russell, along with Timofey Mozgov, to Brooklyn in exchange for Brook Lopez and the No. 27 pick, which became Kyle Kuzma. Russell went on to become an All-Star in his second season in Brooklyn before being dealt to Golden State in the sign-and-trade that landed the Nets Kevin Durant. After half a season with the Warriors, Golden State traded Russell to Minnesota for Andrew Wiggins. Then, finally, Russell was the centerpiece of last week’s three-team deal for the Lakers.
“A lot has happened since I’ve been here, right?” Russell said at his introductory press conference Friday. “I was an All-Star, went to the playoffs. I’ve done a lot of things individually. So to come back with that resume, I feel like it helps the team or whatnot.”
Regarding his first stint in Los Angeles, specifically, Russell said he should’ve appreciated the tutelage of Bryant more and the rare opportunity he had to learn from one of the game’s greats on a daily basis.
“When I reflect on my time in the past, it’s all Kobe,” Russell said. “All Kobe. I had some growing pains, and I played on the court. But all that was really a blur. Appreciating Kobe when I was here wasn’t really something I did because I was young and I was figuring it out. But as soon as I left, I appreciated him more. Now that he’s gone, I appreciate him even more. So when I reflect on that Lakers tenure when I was here, it’s all a reflection of him.”
The bright lights of Los Angeles, and particularly playing for the Lakers, aren’t for everyone. During his first stint, Russell wasn’t sure if he could handle playing for the Lakers. Now, after years in different environments, he welcomes the spotlight and all of the pressure that comes with it.
“I never hoped to be back here because I didn’t understand if I could be ready for it and be a part of what they were doing for the future,” Russell said. “But I’m here now, and I really appreciate being back, because I feel like I’m ready for everything that’s about to come for the team and whatever comes my way.”
Russell certainly doesn’t lack confidence. He referred to himself as an “alpha” in “whatever room I’m in” in his introductory press conference. At the same time, he has been incredibly reflective about his first go-round in Los Angeles and the growth and progress he’s made during his career.
He’s also been deferential to James and Davis, acknowledging that they’re all-time greats who have already won a championship together. He recognizes he’s the one who needs to adjust.
“Obviously what they have works,” Russell said. “So, for me to fit with them, I got to figure out how I can fit and I think that’s going to happen over time and experience, being in a situation.”
Russell is in the last year of his contract (he’s making $31.4 million) and is eligible to receive an extension up until June 30. The maximum the Lakers can offer him is two years, $67.5 million. Whether the Lakers offer Russell that deal, or an even larger and/or longer contract in free agency, will be determined by multiple factors, including his performance and fit on and off the court.
“I think the last 26 games for our team — and hopefully more — I think are a data point of a piece of information for sure,” Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said. “But clearly just one piece of a lot of information. … There’s a lot to look at when you’re assessing a player and there’s a lot there and he’s been very successful. So, it won’t just be about his 26 games here, but that will certainly be one piece of information we’ll look at as we decide kind of how to fit our salary cap together and planning going forward.”
Aside from the 2018-19 Nets and 2021-22 Timberwolves — both first-round-and-out teams — Russell has only played for lottery teams. He has certain habits and tendencies that the Lakers will need to extract to maximize him during a playoff run.
The Lakers took a reasonable gamble on Russell, as they needed to move on from Russell Westbrook, and they determined their best path forward would be executing 2023 free agency early. But it’s a gamble, nonetheless. The success of the partnership is far from a certainty. Four teams — including the Lakers — have decided through the years that it was in their best interest to move on from Russell.
While Hachimura, Beasley, Vanderbilt and Bamba are role players who fill various needs for the Lakers, Russell is the headliner. He’s the former All-Star, the former No. 2 overall pick, the player making over $30 million this season.
The Lakers have made it clear that he’s someone they view as a potential long-term piece around James and Davis.
“We do see him not just as a player that’s a short-term rental,” Pelinka said. “So, we think that he’s a player that can really fit nicely, again, with our core pieces of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, just bringing spacing and shooting and playmaking and efficiency. We’re really excited to see him out there with our team.”
Russell shares that excitement. He’s out for redemption, out to finally find stability, out to prove that he’s grown over the past half-decade.
“I’m a grown man, now, I’m not a child,” Russell said. “I’m just excited to showcase it.”
- 91,277
- 125,476
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2010
adidas better send Mo some Kobes.
- 44,772
- 66,485
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2001
Even heard Rui mention how D'lo was talking to him at length before the game. He's taking his job seriously
- 39,174
- 40,491
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2013
- 22,487
- 16,268
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2017
Apparently D’lo is great as a back line defensive play caller. Usually lebrons job
- 37,048
- 12,399
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2008
- 11,120
- 3,734
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2008
Bron playing?
- 23,881
- 31,220
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2017
Depends on how much he drank last night
- 39,405
- 42,919
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2006
Bron might play
And this looks nice
And this looks nice
- 23,881
- 31,220
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2017
- 39,405
- 42,919
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2006
Welp
- 8,674
- 20,074
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2016
Portland ain’t good
- 91,277
- 125,476
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2010
They can still win, just smaller margin for error.
