NBA Rumors: Los Angeles Lakers view D’Angelo Russell as long-term piece?

NBA Rumors: There’s a growing belief that the Los Angeles Lakers view recently acquired D’Angelo Russell as a long-term piece. 

With their backs somewhat against the wall at the NBA Trade Deadline, the Los Angeles Lakers and their front office stepped up to the plate and hit an absolute home run. Well, at the very least, they managed to make lemonade out of lemons.

On NBA Trade Deadline day, the Lakers acquired D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba, and Davon Reed in exchange for future picks, Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, and Patrick Beverley. It wasn’t Kevin Durant or even a move for Myles Turner, but the Lakers did manage to change the narrative around this team heading toward the final push toward the postseason.

And at least through the first few games, the acquisition of Russell looks really good for the Lakers. In three games played back in Los Angeles, Russell is averaging 17 points and six assists per game on 45 percent shooting from the field and 38 percent shooting from 3-point range.

And considering that the Lakers had to part ways with a future first-round pick to land Russell, coupled with how productive he’s been at least thus far, there is some momentum that suggests he could be viewed as a long-term piece of the team’s future.

The Lakers should look to re-sign D’Angelo Russell during the offseason

It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that the Lakers would have an interest in re-signing Russell during the offseason when he becomes a free agent. That was almost certain for whichever team ended up landing Russell at the deadline. It just so happened to be the Lakers.

And Russell has been a massive upgrade for the Lakers so far. He’s a much better shooter and overall scorer at this point in his career compared to Russell Westbrook. The big question for the Lakers is whether or not he’ll be able to continue to carry that momentum into the last couple of months of the regular season.

More than anything that’s what their NBA Trade Deadline moves were about – making this team playoff good. They’ll certainly have to prove that as they are currently outside the Play-In Tournament. And if they can future it out, there’s no question that Russell will end up being a big part of that.

And that alone could end up warranting a contract extension from the Lakers this offseason.