D’Angelo Russell grew accustomed to trade rumors much sooner than most other NBA players, as there was speculation throughout much of his rookie season last year that the Lakers point guard could be dealt. Should he be concerned now that the offseason is here?
Apparently not. Russell said Tuesday that he has a very good reason for not being worried about trade rumors.
“You hear trade talks,” he said, per Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “Then you get a text from your GM saying he trusts your work ethic and don’t worry about it.”
So there you have it. Mitch Kupchak is not shopping Russell. Or, if he is, he doesn’t want Russell to know about it, but the former seems far more likely.
The Lakers used the No. 2 overall pick on Russell for a reason last year. You don’t bail on that over some social media drama, even if said drama may have resulted in a teammate’s engagement being broken off.
