NBA Rumors: 20 Big name players that will dominate the 2025 free agency period

D'Angelo Russell, unrestricted free agent

In the final year of his contract, there's probably a great chance that D'Angelo Russell will be traded at some point this season. The Los Angeles Lakers may be waiting for the right opportunity to pivot away from the Russell experience. While it hasn't been a complete disaster for the team, it's natural to suggest that, at this point in his career, Russell deserves a fresh start. And the unfortunate part of it all is that Russell often gets the short end of the stick. In a vacuum, Russell is a productive player. Looking at the stat sheet, Russell is still an effective offensive player. However, it's his struggles on the defensive end of the floor that often leave him in a difficult situation.

But in the right system, playing next to the right running mate, there's reason to believe that Russell can still be an effective player in the league. That fit is probably not with the Lakers, and the last couple of seasons have been great evidence of that.

As he prepares to hit the free agency market next season, it'll be interesting to see if he can find that "right" fit to help him right the ship in his career.