FanPost

The D'Angelo Russell Drama has reached an All-Time high

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The Lakers promising young guard has not had a promising week.

It only seemed like it was just yesterday where D'Angelo Russell began his post All-Star weekend tear when he averaged 21.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 5.2 assist in 8 straight games after the All-Star game. However, Russell has been having a very trying week and there has been abundance of reasons why. For starters, we all know at some point every basketball player will have an off game every once in a while when they are having a streak of good games, it happens to everyone not named LeBron James. D'Angelo Russell had a very poor night and then some against the Philadelphia 76ers. Sure, he finished with 11 points and 7 assist but he also shot it poorly and had MULTIPLE bloopers in that one game - one of them where he fumbled the ball out of bounds and fell with it.

Okay so that's number one. You would think that, "Okay one bad game in his last 8, Nothing to worry about, he's been killing it." And then Luke Walton came along with his science projects. After his poor outing, Walton yanked Russell from the starting lineup and replaced him with Jordan Clarkson and David Nwaba. Now Luke has been known throughout this season to use the most unnecessary lineups and even go as far as experimenting with some lineups. He replaced Luol Deng with Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac with Timofey Mozgov/Tarik Black. But this time, he removed D'Angelo Russell - who is 21 years old, for Jordan Clarkson - who is 24 years old. Keep in mind, the rest of the season has been about playing the young guys more so they can develop faster. Russell has shown to have atleast one of the two highest ceilings on the Lakers - Magic knows this. Anyways, the lineup Luke Walton presented against the Nuggets was Jordan Clarkson, David Nwaba, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle and Ivica Zubac. Problem is that you have your most talented point guard on the bench screwing up his rhythm in the process and then you have a lineup with really no kind of spacing or shooting. Russell finishes that game off the bench with 10 points and 4 assist.

Then the next game came along against the Houston Rockets and our old friend Lou Williams. Before the game, Luke indicated that he was going to keep the same lineup but remove David Nwaba from it. He had two options, Russell or Nick Young who had two straight DNP's before the Houston game. Luke ultimately decided to start Nick Young instead of Russell. If you're a basketball player and you have been having a string of good, almost great games and then suddenly you're benched? Yes it does mentally get to you, not as a no heart way but it messes up your flow for the game. Russell however, has not been taking this benching the best way he can. Anyways, back to the Houston game where it was possibly the worst game of Russell's career. in 26 minutes of playing, Russell finished with 5 points (2-10 shooting), 2 rebounds and 3 assist but he also had 7 turnovers (James Harden had 9 turnovers) and fouled out of the game courtesy of Patrick Beverley. It didn't end there. After the game, Beverley took exception and went onto Twitter, blasting D'Angelo Russell's performance and gloating about his defensive pressure he added to the young guard. Oh, and it doesn't end there quite yet. Lou Williams went on record saying "Some of the young guys were genuine and always worked hard". That was clearly a personal shot at D'Angelo Russell who mostly everyone in the Lakers fanbase say he does not play like he works hard. In some of Russell's post game interviews, he gives the very bleak impression of he doesn't care. Almost as if he wants out of LA.

Earlier today, Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka visited the practice floor and spoke individually with the players. When they got to Russell (who was working and talking with Brian Shaw), Russell was arms folded, leaning against the wall but he was taking everything Magic and Pelinka said seriously. Afterwards, Magic joked around with Russell so we know the two are in good spirits with each other. Hopefully, Magic and Rob Pelinka sparked a new kind of mindset and fire into Russell because it is devastating to witness him struggle this badly.