Lakers star admits he’s not happy with Darvin Ham

D’Angelo Russell has failed to establish a consistent spot in the Lakers’ rotation since his return. Russell’s role has shifted dramatically over the last few weeks as he has failed to hit shots on the court. For the first time since things turned sour, Russell addressed the subject and clarified his position on everything.

“I get into my flow state in the pick and roll, when it comes time to sit the game,” Russell remarked on ‘The Back Yard’ podcast. “So, if I can use pick and rolls to control who is guarding me, I will be able to control the game.”

If I miss y’all just took me out the game. But if I’m getting to do what I know I can do, I feel like that’s when I’m at my best… when I have a roller and a shooter.”

Russell’s statement clearly indicates that he wants more control over the offense. Russell loves to handle the ball himself and run setups for others rather than playing off the ball and being a catch-and-shoot player. Unfortunately for Russell, the Lakers perform best when LeBron James leads the offense, which complicates the situation.

D’Angelo Russell Is A Problem

 

 

In theory, D’Angelo Russell should be the type of player the Lakers want, but his hunger for the ball and erratic shooting mean he doesn’t fit in with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Russell’s argument is also hampered by the fact that he is a liability on defense, implying that he can only be effective when he is scoring. These elements have created a maelstrom of chaos this season, and Russell’s stats have dropped across the board following a solid start. In 34 games, he’s averaged 146 points, 6.1 assists, and 0.8 steals on 46% shooting.

On Tuesday, D’Lo played only 17 minutes against the Toronto Raptors, which is arguably his lowest point of the season. He scored 11 points, although he was outperformed by bench players such as Max Christie, Christian Wood, and Jarred Vanderbilt. The Lakers have no solutions for their backcourt void without Russell and Gabe Vincent, who have yet to return to action. For the time being, they appear to be stabilizing following a recent decline, but things might turn ugly if losses resume.

Tough Decisions For Darvin Ham

There is no disputing that the Lakers coach will face some difficult decisions. He is now starting Austin Reaves due to fan pressure, but the plan for Cam Reddish remains unknown as his minutes diminish with each passing week. There’s also the case of Austin Reaves, who has finally earned his place in the starting lineup. Following speculations of a “problem” between Reaves and Ham, it will be interesting to watch how long he remains with the starters.

At the heart of it all is D’Angelo Russell. Whether or not he gets traded this season, what occurs in the coming weeks will push the team in one direction or another.
The ball is in his court now to accept his role, become the player the Lakers need him to be, and prove all the doubrs wrong once and for all.