NBA Free Agent News: Insider Reveals D'Angelo Russell's Plans for Contract Option

If we can take any cues from Thursday night's Game 3 loss for the Los Angeles Lakers to the Denver Nuggets, it appears that point guard D'Angelo Russell is playing his final games for the Lakers.

Russell appeared totally checked out on the Purple & Gold late in the game, with 0 points in the boxscore, and not even engaged in the team huddle, sitting on the bench while scrolling on his phone.

Jay Williams goes off on D’Angelo Russell and says he quit on the Lakers 😳

“I don’t want him on my roster.”

(🎥 @GetUpESPN )

pic.twitter.com/rLWm4SyaTM
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 26, 2024

ESPN's Jay Williams says, “I don’t want him on my roster.”

With an $18.7 million option on his contract for next season, the reports today are that Russell will indeed be opting out to become a free agent this summer.

D'Angelo Russell expected to decline his player option and become a free agent this summer 👀 pic.twitter.com/VHXuS3yL05
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) April 26, 2024

ESPN's NBA insider Brian Windhorst is reporting that Russell will be declining his option and entering free agency.

Despite zero points in Game 3, the checking out on his teammates, and the word that he'll be bailing after the season (which likely has just one game left for them), Lakers head coach Darvin Ham says he'll be sticking with D'Lo, and isn't considering benching him.

Darvin Ham said he’s not considering benching D’Angelo Russell.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) April 26, 2024

In the Lakers' three losses thus far in the series, Russell has averaged 12 points and 3.6 assists while shooting just 30.8% from three-point land, a similarly disastrous showing as last year's playoffs.