News

May 28, 2023

D'Angelo Russell 2023 Lakers Player Capsule

2022-23 Season Summary: By nearly all statistical measures, D'Angelo Russell had

2022-23 Season Summary:By nearly all statistical measures, D'Angelo Russell had one of, if not the best seasons of his eight-year NBA career. In 71 combined regular season games between the Timberwolves (54) and the Lakers (17), Russell averaged 17.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists to only 2.6 turnovers a night. And while these are not his peak averages in any given season for his career, never has Russell shot a higher percentage from any distance, boasting career bests in 3-point percentage (39.6%), 2-point percentage (55.5%), the field overall (48.4%), or the foul line (82.9%) while showing such a commitment to his defensive responsibilities in ways that contributed to winning. And while his playoff production offered a volatility that created uncertainty in his night-to-night role in Coach Ham's rotation (particularly vs. the Nuggets), Russell's contributions were crucial in the Lakers advancing to the Conference Finals, and his ability to be an offensive threat as an initiator, off-ball worker, shooter, and passer proved a fantastic fit in lineups with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Austin Reaves.

By The Numbers: 38.8%: Percentage of above-the-break three pointers Russell hit on the 103 attempts he shot after joining the Lakers. Russell's ability to hit those shots both as a release valve via catch-and-shoot attempts and off the dribble when creating his own shot adds immense value to a Lakers team that thrived on attacking the paint as much as they did.

+25.6: Net rating the Lakers had when Russell shared the floor with LeBron, AD, and Reaves in their 99 minutes of court time together in the regular season. In the playoffs, that number fell to +5.0 in 306 minutes, but both numbers show a positive influence on the game and an ability to win significant stretches of each game.

22.6%: Percentage of shots Russell took in the restricted area after joining the Lakers -- shots he hit at a 70.0% clip. For a player who is known so much as a jump shooter, and particularly one who relies on his mid-range shot for a lot of his offensive production, Russell proved to be someone who could get to and score in the paint at a good rate after coming to the Lakers. In the playoffs, however, those numbers dipped to 8.2% of his shot attempts with him connecting on 56.3% of those shots.

Moving Forward:At his season closing media availability, Rob Pelinka spoke of his desire to create continuity for next season, with the implication being his using this Conference Finals roster as a roadmap to build out next season's team. Russell, an unrestricted free agent this summer, will (of course) have a say in whether he returns to the team to build on all they accomplished post trade deadline and through the playoffs. Should he return, however, both parties could see the benefit of a continued partnership. From the Lakers' side, Russell's offensive fit as both an on and off-ball player works wonderfully in lineups with both team's superstar front court players in a complementary role who can also morph into a primary role for stretches. Russell, meanwhile, can find the best version of his own game, leveraging his great feel to slot next to talents who can both take on the primary shot creation role while being such natural finishers that allow Russell to shine as both a playmaker and passer too. There will be strides Russell could still take defensively as well, but his size and commitment to playing hard on that end will go a long way towards being a functional part of the team's overall scheme on that side of the ball.