D'ANGELO RUSSELL NEWS

Bronny James records 3 blocks, 2 points in Lakers preseason debut

Bronny James played in his first NBA preseason game when the Lakers host Minnesota in the first of Los Angeles’ two games in the Coachella V...

OCTOBER 5

Bronny James begins his Lakers career with a preseason debut. LeBron won't join until the next game

Bronny James played in his first NBA preseason game when the Lakers host Minnesota in the first of Los Angeles’ two games in the Coachella Valley

OCTOBER 4 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Staying in L.A. Russell said Friday that he will exercise his $18.69 million player option for 2024-25 to remain with the Lakers, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports.

Impact Though Russell disappointed in the Lakers' five-game first-round playoff series loss to the Nuggets, he delivered a strong 2023-24 season overall, fueled by a strong close to the campaign once he moved back into a starting role in mid-January. In 76 appearances for the Lakers, Russell averaged 18.0 points on 45.6 percent shooting from the field, 6.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 3.0 three-pointers and 0.9 steals in 32.7 minutes. Though Russell once again projects to slot in as the Lakers' starting point guard under first-year head coach J.J. Redick, the 28-year-old's expiring contract could make him vulnerable to a trade if Los Angeles seeks an upgrade at the position as the 2024-25 season unfolds.

JUNE 29 • ROTOWIRE

Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell fined $25k for verbally abusing official

The NBA has fined Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell $25,000 for verbally abusing an official after the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs...

MAY 4

Another poor shooting performance Russell closed Monday's 108-106 loss to the Nuggets in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs with 14 points (6-15 FG, 2-10 3Pt), one rebound and six assists...

Impact Russell finished the opening-round series shooting 38.4 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from deep. He had a pair of standout performances, but his overall production was too inconsistent. It was a disappointing end to what was a solid season for the veteran point guard. Russell appeared in 76 games (69 starts) and averaged 18.0 points on 45.6/41.5/82.8 shooting splits during the regular season.

APRIL 30 • ROTOWIRE

Bounces back in Game 4 win Russell ended Saturday's 119-108 win over the Nuggets in Game 4 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs with 21 points (8-15 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 1-2 FT), four rebounds, four...

Impact Russell faced tons of scrutiny following a woeful effort in a Game 3 loss where he finished scoreless (0-7 FG, 0-6 3Pt), but he bounced back admirably and reached the 20-point mark for the second time in this series. Russell will need to carry his hot hand into Game 5 if the Lakers want to avoid elimination Monday.

APRIL 28 • ROTOWIRE

D'Angelo Russell Quote Goes Viral After 0-Point Performance This D'Angelo Russell quote from before Game 3 is going viral

APRIL 26 • SI.COM

Shows improvement in Game 2 Russell logged 23 points (8-16 FG, 7-11 3Pt), three rebounds and six assists across 39 minutes during Monday's 101-99 loss to the Nuggets in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarte...

Impact Russell delivered a much-improved effort compared to Game 1 of the series when he notched 13 points while shooting poorly (6-20 FG, 1-9 3Pt), but his efforts were not enough Monday, as the Lakers wasted a 20-point lead and lost the game on a buzzer-beater from Jamal Murray. Nonetheless, the uptick in efficiency in a positive thing for Russell, who should have a pivotal role on offense in Thursday's decisive Game 3.

APRIL 23 • ROTOWIRE

Poor shooting display in Game 1 Russell amassed 13 points (6-20 FG, 1-9 3Pt), three rebounds, three assists and two steals across 41 minutes during Saturday's 114-103 loss to Denver in Game 1 of the Western Confe...

Impact The Lakers needed Russell to be at his best as a scoring threat, so his 6-for-20 outing from the field wasn't a pleasant sight for a Lakers team that cooled off as the game progressed. Russell ended with more field goal attempts than points scored, and he needs to bounce back ahead of Game 2 on Monday.

APRIL 21 • ROTOWIRE

Lands five triples in win Russell finished Tuesday's 110-106 Play-In Game victory over the Pelicans with 21 points (7-14 FG, 5-11 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six assists, one block and one steal over 37 minutes.

Impact Russell was hot early, connecting on three of his five triples in the opening quarter. Although he did cool off, he was able to connect on a crucial three-pointer late in the piece, giving the Lakers a four-point lead with only seconds remaining. The Lakers will need Russell to stay hot should they hope to advance past the defending champion Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.

APRIL 17 • ROTOWIRE

Struggles to find shot Friday Russell totaled four points (2-9 FG, 0-5 3Pt), three rebounds, 10 assists, one block and one steal in 35 minutes during Friday's 123-120 win over Memphis.

Impact Russell's scoring output was tied for his second-lowest this season, and he failed to knock down a shot from three-point range for just the second time over his past 24 games. Since putting up 28 points on 11-for-17 shooting against Cleveland on April 6, the point guard has averaged just 11.0 points on 25.6 percent shooting over his subsequent three contests. On a positive note, Russell has dished double-digit assists in two of those games.

APRIL 13 • ROTOWIRE

Leads Lakers in scoring Russell posted 28 points (11-17 FG, 6-12 3Pt), five rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal across 31 minutes during Saturday's 116-97 victory over the Cavaliers.

Impact Even though Anthony Davis and LeBron James posted impressive performances in their own right, Russell carried the Lakers on offense by posting a team-high scoring tally. The Lakers will still go as far as the James and Davis duo can take it, but having Russell as a reliable scoring alternative will provide a massive boost on offense, too. Russell has scored 23 or more points in four of his last seven contests.

APRIL 7 • ROTOWIRE

Drains seven threes in rout Russell finished Tuesday's 128-111 victory over the Raptors with 25 points (9-17 FG, 7-14 3Pt), two rebounds and seven assists across 33 minutes.

Impact Aside from a rough performance last Friday in Indiana, Russell has been on fire from long range of late. The veteran guard has hit for at least three made three-pointers in seven of the last eight games and has averaged 20.6 points, 7.5 assists, 4.3 threes, 4.0 boards and 1.4 steals over that stretch while shooting 41.5 percent (34-for-82) from beyond the arc.

APRIL 3 • ROTOWIRE

Strong from deep in balanced game Russell tallied 18 points (6-12 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 2-4 FT), six assists, six rebounds and four steals over 32 minutes in Sunday's 116-104 win over Brooklyn.

Impact Russell connected on a quartet of threes while handing out a team-high-tying assist total and leading all Lakers in steals while putting forth a well-rounded performance in a winning effort. Russell has swiped four or more steals in three games this season, last doing so March 4 against Oklahoma City. He has posted at least 15 points and five assists in two of his last five contests. Russell was strong on the glass in the win, having hauled in six or more boards in seven games.

APRIL 1 • ROTOWIRE

Scores 29 points, logs 50 minutes Russell accumulated 29 points (7-22 FG, 5-12 3Pt, 10-10 FT), seven rebounds, 12 assists, one block and two steals across 50 minutes during Tuesday's 128-124 double-overtime win ove...

Impact Russell and Austin Reaves (48 minutes) face huge workloads during Tuesday's double-overtime victory, although Russell's scoring was sporadic throughout the thriller. Russell didn't score his first points until midway through the second quarter, which was a factor in the Lakers facing a 19-point first-quarter deficit. Russell then stepped it up to fuel the comeback in regulation, and knocked down key sets of free throws in overtime, so all is well that ends well for the 28-year-old. Notably, he only had one pick-and-roll assist with Anthony Davis, which could be a testament to the Bucks' strong interior defense

MARCH 27 • ROTOWIRE

Not listed on injury report Russell (illness) isn't listed on the Lakers' injury report ahead of Tuesday's game against the Bucks.

Impact Russell missed Sunday's win over the Pacers due to an illness but will be back in action Tuesday. He could see increased usage versus the Bucks, as LeBron James (ankle) is listed as doubtful.

MARCH 25 • ROTOWIRE

Out sick Russell is out for Sunday's game against the Pacers due to a non-COVID illness, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports.

Impact Russell was not originally listed on the injury report ahead of game time, but he will not be available for Sunday's bout due to an illness. Spencer Dinwiddie and Max Christie are leading candidates to see an expanded role without Russell.

MARCH 25 • ROTOWIRE

New franchise three-point king Russell finished Friday's 101-94 victory over Philadelphia with 14 points (4-13 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, three assists and one steal in 37 minutes.

Impact The 28-year-old point guard set a new franchise record in the first quarter when he drained his 184th three-pointer of the season, breaking Nick Van Exel's mark from 1994-95. Russell has hit for multiple threes in 13 of 14 games since the All-Star break, a stretch in which he's averaged 20.0 points, 6.4 assists, 3.7 boards, 3.6 threes and 1.0 steals while shooting 44.0 percent from beyond the arc.

MARCH 23 • ROTOWIRE

Ties franchise three-point record Russell notched 27 points (8-14 FG, 6-10 3Pt, 5-5 FT), four rebounds, 10 assists and one steal across 30 minutes during Monday's 136-105 win over the Hawks.

Impact Russell had his stroke working Monday, as he went 6-for-10 from beyond the arc, marking the seventh time this season he has drained at least six triples in a contest. The veteran point guard is up to 183 three-pointers on the campaign, tying him with Nick Van Exel for the franchise's all-time single-season record. Russell complemented his sharp shooting with 10 dimes against Atlanta, marking the second straight game in which he has reached double-digit assists after failing to do so in his previous 11 contests.

MARCH 19 • ROTOWIRE

Delivers double-double Saturday Russell recorded 23 points (9-21 FG, 3-10 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, 13 assists and one steal across 40 minutes during Saturday's 128-121 loss to the Warriors.

Impact Russell didn't have his best shooting performance since he needed 21 shots to score 23 points, but he still posted a strong double-double after dazzling as a playmaker. Russell is currently going through one of the most productive stretches of the season, averaging 19.9 points, 6.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game since the All-Star break while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 42.7 percent from three-point range.

MARCH 17 • ROTOWIRE

Explodes for 44 points Friday Russell totaled 44 points (17-25 FG, 9-12 3Pt, 1-1 FT), six rebounds, nine assists and one block over 38 minutes during Friday's 123-122 victory over the Bucks.

Impact The Lakers were without LeBron James (ankle) on Friday, and it was Russell who took the initiative to make up for the All-Star forward's absence. The veteran point guard led Los Angeles with a season-high 44 points, 21 of which came in the fourth quarter and the final two of which came on a jumper with 5.9 seconds remaining to give his team the win. Russell also tied a career high with nine triples and found time to dish out nine assists, putting together one of the best all-around performances of his career. After dealing with trade rumors earlier in the campaign, Russell has emerged as a critical piece of the Lakers' offense, scoring 20-plus points in five of nine games since the All-Star break and knocking down multiple triples in every contest during that span.

MARCH 9 • ROTOWIRE

Awful night in loss Russell closed with 10 points (3-10 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound, three assists and one steal over 35 minutes during Wednesday's 130-120 loss to Sacramento.

Impact Russell couldn't get anything going offensively and struggled mightily on defense, allowing De'Aaron Fix to put up his best total of the season. Although Anthony Davis and LeBron James run the show, the Lakers need excellent output from every starter to be successful, and the system doesn't work as well if Russell can't move the ball. He is still a quality fantasy asset despite the bad result.

MARCH 7 • ROTOWIRE

Scores 26 in stellar outing Russell finished with 26 points (9-17 FG, 5-11 3Pt, 3-5 FT), six rebounds, three assists, one block and four steals across 34 minutes during Monday's 116-104 win over the Thunder.

Impact Russell drained five three-pointers on the way to his excellent total. He was also key on the defensive end, matching his second-best total of the season with four steals. LeBron James sent the ball back out to Russell often when he was open, allowing for a few easy looks beyond the arc. The Lakers have now won 10 of their last 14 and are humming like a well-oiled machine with Russell at the helm

MARCH 5 • ROTOWIRE