Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell was a polarizing figure for the team's fans throughout the 2023-24 season.
Some advocated trading him for another player before the deadline, while others appreciated his scoring and playmaking abilities.
Russell has a player option to remain with the Lakers in 2024-25, or he can explore free agency this summer. He talked about his leverage in this situation, especially with the team aiming to retool instead of letting go of talent.
"When I signed my contract last year, I knew what position I was going to put myself in, so to be in that position now with a little leverage, I'll try to take advantage of it," the 28-year-old said after their season-ending loss against the Denver Nuggets on Monday, April 29.
Russell signed a two-year deal worth $37 million to remain with the Lakers last summer, with 2024-25 being a player option worth $18.6 million.
The former Ohio State Buckeye made $17.3 million this year, per numbers from HoopsHype.
D'Angelo Russell had a so-so series vs Nuggets
Much of the criticism directed at Russell stemmed from his performance during last year's Western Conference Finals when Denver swept the Lakers.
Facing elimination by the same team in the first round this year, Russell failed to improve significantly from the previous postseason.
The former second overall pick averaged 14.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in the first-round series against Denver, shooting just 38.4 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from three-point range.
Notably, he scored zero points in Game 3 but bounced back in Game 4 with 20 points.
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