Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell doesn’t think he got enough credit for his play last season

Guard D’Angelo Russell helped turn around the Los Angeles Lakers when they traded for him in February, and he ended up having a very efficient season overall.

But he feels no one is giving him credit for doing so, and he ranted about it to Patrick Beverley while on “The Pat Bev Podcast.”

Before Russell’s arrival, the Lakers were a mediocre team that was always several games under .500 and had several ill-fitting players. But bringing in Russell, as well as Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt, gave them a roster that suddenly had the ability to go very deep in the playoffs.

Los Angeles played very well following its midseason trades, and it ended up beating the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors in the second round of the playoffs. Its run ended when it got swept by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.

In the regular season, Russell averaged 17.8 points a game while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from beyond the 3-point line, both of which were career-highs. His 3-point shooting efficiency has been up and down over the years.

In the 2023 NBA Playoffs, his overall efficiency was inconsistent, but he had some big games in the first two rounds of the playoffs to help the Lakers advance. However, he struggled mightily in the series against Denver, not just offensively, but also on the defensive end.

Coming into this summer, there were some rumors that perhaps they would look to trade him rather than re-sign him as a free agent. But he ended up getting a new two-year contract to remain in L.A.

Russell and fellow starting guard Austin Reaves have given the Lakers a potent backcourt that can give the 38-year-old LeBron James somewhat of a respite in terms of ball-handling, facilitating and scoring. In addition, the team has added Gabe Vincent, who has the potential to be a legitimate two-way player, and it is confident Max Christie will become a significant part of its rotation.