Getty LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers talks with Austin Reaves #15 and D’Angelo Russell #1 in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena.
Lakers star guard D’Angelo Russell could reportedly be offered a lucrative contract from the Orlando Magic.
According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, the Magic “have interest” in signing Russell in the 2024 offseason.
Russelll, who has a player option worth $18.7 million for the 2024-25 season, is widely expected to decline the option and become a free agent.
In a March 27 interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Russell left the door open for him to meet with other teams in free agency, but also expressed his desire to remain a member of the Lakers, the franchise that originally drafted him in 2015.
“I’d love to be here [in Los Angeles] and continue to give it a run and be where my feet are now,” Russell said. “Obviously, I’ve been on the other side of it, and I’ve been through the roller coaster of free agency and having to sit back and wait. I’m looking forward to not having to worry about that. I’ve been blessed enough to put myself in this position with my play. I’m definitely planning on taking advantage of that. When that time comes, I feel that everything will play out how it’s supposed to play out.”
Magic Could Use a Sniper or Two
Russell would definitely solve some of Orlando’s issues. During their first-round playoff series versus the Cavaliers, the Magic shot a subar 30.9 percent from three over seven games, with only Paolo Banchero (40 percent) and Jonathan Isaac (37 percent) shooting releatively well from deep.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Magic have the flexibility to create up to $35 million in cap space in the 2024-25 season. A chunk of that cap space can also be potentially used on Warriors guard Klay Thompson, another player they have been linked with.
The 28-year-old Russell would also fit the timeline of a Magic squad built around three 22-year-old players in Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs.
Should Lakers Retain D’Angelo Russell?
The Lakers front office is facing a lot of decisions in the 2024 offseason. Should they package Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and their three tradeable first-round picks for a star such as Donovan Mitchell or Trae Young? Could they get back some assets for Russell in a sign-and-trade scenario from a team such as Magic?
John Hollinger of The Athletic believes the Lakers — in their effort to maximize 39-year-old LeBron James’ title win — can’t afford to let Russell walk in free agency without getting back some assets.
“…D’Angelo Russell opting out of his $18 million deal for next season would take an important salary-matching piece out of the picture; he might opt out just for that reason, to have more say in his next destination,” Hollinger wrote on May 2.
It’s worth noting that Russell’s value dipped a little after his lackluster showing in the 2024 NBA Playoffs where he shot 38 percent from the field and 31 percent from deep.
Regardless of Russell’s future in Los Angeles, the Purple & Gold could look drastically different by the start of the 2024-25 season, and there’s no guarantee if even James remains a Laker. The legendary forward has until June 29 to excercise his player option, declining which would make him a free agent for the first time since 2018.
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