Team USA played their first group stage game of the 2024 Olympics in Paris on Sunday, defeating Serbia in a 110-94 blowout. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was the best player on the floor for the United States, finishing with 21 points, seven rebounds and nine assists in the win. And he did so in front of one of his Lakers teammates in D’Angelo Russell.
Russell has been in trade talks for the Lakers nearly the entire offseason after picking up his player option for the 2024-25 season. His salary and the fact that the Lakers have other needs beyond point guard have left Russell in a limbo state, as he is perhaps the most likely name to get dealt before the start of the season.
But that fact didn’t stop him from supporting his Lakers teammates — James and Anthony Davis — in Paris on Sunday, as a video captured him doing and in a post following the win.
D’Angelo Russell was cheering for Team USA during their game against Serbia ?
(via @MRI_6H)pic.twitter.com/lwXmRPG8DQ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 29, 2024
Witnessing greatness. Ima fan.
— D'Angelo Russell (@Dloading) July 28, 2024
Russell has been an incredible teammate for the Lakers since they re-acquired him at the trade deadline in the 2022-2023 season. He has formed a bond with James, Davis, Austin Reaves and others and has been a solid leader for L.A. even when the production has not been what the team needed.
This doesn’t change the fact that trading Russell might be the best move for the Lakers at a certain point this offseason. However, it does show Russell’s commitment to L.A. and his teammates even with all the rumors circulating, a sign of a strong leader.
Trail Blazers not interested in D’Angelo Russell
In order for L.A. to deal for Portland Trail Blazers wing Jerami Grant, they need to find a trade that both meets the Trail Blazers’ draft compensation demands and also sends out more money than they receive. D’Angelo Russell’s $18.7 million contract would have made that an easy path, but Portland reportedly isn’t interested in acquiring the Lakers guard.
That leaves the Lakers with two options. The more difficult would be to find a third team that does want Russell, and have that team help the Lakers compensate the Trail Blazers. The easier is to find a different path to Grant’s $29,793,104 figure, like including forward Rui Hachimura in the deal alongside Gabe Vincent and a minimum contract.
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