D'Angelo Russell is proof that free agent LaMarcus Aldridge made the right decision by dismissing the Lakers early in his search.
Russell's NBA Draft night seemed like a dream come true when Los Angeles made him the No. 2 pick overall, but instead it has become Russell's nightmare.
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The point guard is not playing the fourth quarters of the rare Lakers games that are close. And their recent blowout loss at Golden State reveals that he's not getting time in the fourth quarter, either.
Russell has to be wondering what he's gotten himself into in Los Angeles.
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Management couldn't explain their basketball plan to Aldridge, and the way coach Byron Scott is using Russell -- or not using Russell -- it's clear that the Lakers don't have a long-range plan.
The Lakers drafted Russell because of his work ethic, his ability to see the court as a playmaker and his confidence. They took Russell over Jahlil Okafor, Kristaps Porzingis and Emmanuel Mudiay. They saw something in Russell that other prospects they worked out lacked, they said.
Now, however, Scott continues to maintain that Russell is responsible for his playing time late in games.
"That's up to (D'Angelo)," Scott said after the blowout loss to the Warriors, according to The Los Angeles Daily News. "That learning curve is going away. We've been playing him minutes. He's getting minutes and making mistakes. Now is a time I expect and will be more demanding. I'm not going to accept some of the mistakes we're making, especially the ones that he makes over and over again. That's up to him."
Based on their workout evaluation of Russell, did the Lakers think that Russell was a quick learner, that he was not a player that made the same mistake twice? Then not only was their evaluation of Porzingis wrong, but it was also wrong with Russell.
If their evaluation was not wrong, then why isn't Scott letting Russell work through his issues?
If the Lakers are now doubting their vision of what Russell could be, how did they expect Aldridge to trust their vision of what they could be with him in Los Angeles?
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