There’s no question the Los Angeles Lakers are a talented ball club, but the franchise does have assets that may prevent them from reaching their full potential.
According to a recent report, the Lakers are doing everything they can to wash their hands with two underachieving guards.
The Lakers are one of the most active teams in early trade discussions around the NBA,” Forbes’ Evan Sidery wrote on X/Twitter Wednesday.
“Los Angeles has dangled the expiring contracts of D’Angelo Russell and Jalen Hood-Schifino in exploratory talks. Keep an eye on Los Angeles between now and February’s deadline-making moves.”
While Russell has been a serviceable bench contributor for the Lakers lately, netting 16+ points on three consecutive occasions, Los Angeles is growing weary of the Ohio State product’s up-and-down play.
Since the 2023 postseason, Russell has been as undependable as it gets for an organization seeking its first championship since 2020. The NBA Cup champion can score in double figures one night and finish with a donut the next
As the No. 17 overall pick in the 2023 draft, Hood-Schifino is a fringe NBA player at best in Year 2.
The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native has only appeared in 22 NBA contests and struggled to make a good impression on the Lakers during the preseason.
If Hood-Schifino’s decision-making and three-point shooting don’t improve rapidly, he may experience a shorter NBA career than expected.
With the Lakers hoping to make meaningful playoff runs while LeBron James is still a member of the organization, it should be a no-brainer for Los Angeles to move on from Russell and Hood-Schifino this season.
