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Los Angeles Lakers: Point Guard Outlook

By Jackson Sanders

Jun 29, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers player D'Angelo Russell looks at the team's NBA championship trophies before the start of a press conference at the Toyota Sports Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 29, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers player D'Angelo Russell looks at the team's NBA championship trophies before the start of a press conference at the Toyota Sports Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jul 13, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell (1) holds the ball as New York Knicks guard Ricky Ledo (11) defends during an NBA Summer League game at Thomas & Mack Center. The Knicks won 76-66. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 13, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell (1) holds the ball as New York Knicks guard Ricky Ledo (11) defends during an NBA Summer League game at Thomas & Mack Center. The Knicks won 76-66. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /

D’Angelo Russell Is The New Face of the Los Angeles Lakers

A shift in philosophy brought D’Angelo Russell to the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, he is set to become the face of the franchise.

The Lakers passed on the opportunity to add another center to their impressive history at the position, taking Russell over Jahlil Okafor. It was an impressive, new-age move by the front office that signals a shift towards pace-and-space, and sets the franchise up with a true heir apparent to Kobe Bryant.

Assuming Byron Scott doesn’t lose his mind (or convince Mitch Kupchak to trade for Ronnie Price), Russell should serve as the team’s point guard from day one. That should be a boon for the Lakers’ offense, as the 19-year-old point guard has shown an uncanny ability to make plays for others since his freshman season at Ohio State began.

Setting teammates up will be his main priority, but it’s unclear just how many shot attempts Russell will be able to muster with the roster as currently constructed. My early starting lineup projections have him sharing the court with Jordan Clarkson and Kobe Bryant – two guys that should be heavily involved offensively.

Nick Young and Lou Williams off the bench won’t be afraid to cut into Russell’s shot attempts either.

Until Russell climbs the team’s offensive hierarchy, expect him to be used primarily in the pick-and-roll and as a designated three-point shooter. Out of the guys expected to join him in the starting lineup, he is far-and-away the best from deep, and his ability to create should be extra deadly in pick-and-roll situations.

Another thing to keep an eye on is the chemistry between Russell and backcourt mate Jordan Clarkson. While Russell is projected to displace Clarkson as the team’s starting point guard, the two showed nice ability as a fastbreak combination in summer league, and could be the Lakers’ one-two punch for years to come.

So what should you expect from D’Angelo Russell in his first year with the Los Angeles Lakers? Well, you should expect him to start, number one. Additionally, expect some highlight passes, struggles on defense, and an evolving role as a scorer. His first season won’t reveal his true potential, but we should get some glimpses into what the future has in store.

Next: Sixth Man Encore?

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