The Lakers' recent NBA Draft selection of Jalen Hood-Schifino essentially ends D'Angelo Russell's long-term future in Los Angeles.
According to Cydeny Henderson of USA Today, D'Angelo Russell's time with the Lakers might be near its end. This comes after the team selected Jalen Hood-Schifino at No. 17 in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Schifino could be a solid backup creator for the team. He will not replace what Russell was expected to create for the team, but he can be a part of the answer that solves this question.
The veteran point guard is going into free agency after being traded to the Lakers halfway through the season. Russell was solid offensively until the playoffs arrived when he had a cold shooting spell. His defense got completely exposed in the playoffs as expected.
Russell will be getting dangled in trade talks this offseason if the Lakers re-sign him. The only way for the team to gain assets in return for Russell would be sending him to a team that is over the cap and would need to acquire him via a sign-and-trade.
Where do the Lakers go with Jalen Hood-Schifino and D'Angelo Russell?
With the limited options that a sign-and-trade return could give, Russell will probably be on the roster next season. The selection that the Lakers made with their first-round pick suggests that the team is looking for a more playable playoff point guard for the team. When Russell isn't able to play well on offense, it becomes very hard to play him in the playoffs due to his lack of defense.
Still, it would be hard to expect a player like Hood-Schifino, who was selected outside of the lottery, to end up playing starter-level minutes against quality opponents in the playoffs. This signals that Russell will most likely not be with the team even in a reduced role.
The point guard is still a solid player in the league. He doesn't fit on most playoff teams but a team like the Knicks that could use his offense would be a playoff spot where he could land.
