D’Angelo Russell reportedly drawing interest from 1 notable East team
May 6, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell (1) moves the ball up court against the Golden State Warriors during the first half in game three of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
D’Angelo Russell may have a suitor this offseason from The Sunshine State.
Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported on Tuesday that the Orlando Magic are showing interest in the Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell. Iko notes that Russell can become a free agent this summer if he turns down his $18.7 million player option for the 2024-25 season.
It seems likely that Russell, 28, will test the open market. He is coming off one of his best seasons efficiency-wise, producing 46/42/83 shooting splits and averaging 18.0 points with 6.3 assists per game overall for the Lakers.
As for the cap-space-rich Magic, they are clearly prioritizing a high-scoring guard to pair alongside the defensive-minded Jalen Suggs in the backcourt. Orlando also needs veteran depth and additional floor-spacing for franchise player Paolo Banchero. The ex-All-Star Russell might check off all of those boxes for the Magic, as might this other recently-rumored Orlando target.
