D’Angelo Russell says knee has been bothering him all season, wants it to be ‘100%’ before returning

D’Angelo Russell will be out of the Los Angeles Lakers’ lineup for roughly two weeks while he recovers from undergoing platelet rich plasma treatment on his left knee. Russell spoke with media for the first time since the procedure, giving insight on his status.

“I was in a lot of pain, but I knew how to control it I guess,” Russell said. ”I knew what not to do. With so many games in this league, it's hard to stay healthy when you're injured and you try to maintain that focus.”

Russell clarified that the pain in his knee began around the start of the regular season, and that it had been “on and off,” though he didn’t think it was anything serious. D’Angelo will travel with the team when they hit the road next week, but he doesn’t plan on any early returns.

"I definitely don’t want to force anything back,” Russell said. “I feel like I've gotta be 100 percent, perfect, before I step back on the floor.”

D’Angelo also went a bit more in-depth than “sore knee” when explaining what discomfort he was experiencing before shutting it down for a few weeks.

“I can't really move the way I want. When I try to fight it or move with sharp movements, and plant and do stuff like that, it aggravated it.”

Russell’s been going through pool workouts while focusing on strengthening his core in the meantime. Expect to see more Jose Calderon and Jordan Clarkson while Russell recovers.

*All quotes transcribed via Lakers.com