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The Los Angeles Lakers and veteran point guard D’Angelo Russell have agreed to a two-year, $37 million deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The contract includes a player option on the second year.
The news comes as little surprise after Wojnarowski reported Feb. 9 that the Purple and Gold had “interest in talking about a contract extension” with Russell, “whether it’s during the season or after the season when he can be a free agent doing a new deal.”
However, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported June 9 that the Lakers were exploring sign-and-trade possibilities involving Russell, so it seemed like there was always the chance he could be moved this summer.
The Lakers acquired Russell at the 2022-23 trade deadline in a three-team deal that included the Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz. In 17 games with the Lakers, he averaged 17.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists while shooting 48.4 percent from the floor and 41.4 percent from deep.
However, Russell’s postseason was a disappointing one as he averaged just 13.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 16 games while shooting 42.6 percent from the floor and 31.0 percent from deep before being swept out of the playoffs by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.
Before joining the Lakers, Russell spent three-and-a-half seasons with the Timberwolves, where he averaged 18.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 6.5 assists in 173 games while shooting 43.2 percent from the floor and 36.6 percent from deep.
The 27-year-old also spent time with the Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets during the early stages of his career.
The Lakers selected Russell second overall in the 2015 NBA draft out of Ohio State. He spent two seasons in L.A., averaging 14.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 143 games before being traded to the Nets.
Now that he’s staying with the Purple and Gold, he figures to continue serving as a key member of the team’s rotation for at least one more season, and potentially two.
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