To call D’Angelo Russell’s performance in the Western Conference Finals against the Nuggets disappointing would be quite the undersell. Even in a four-game sweep, Russell was played off the floor for the Lakers, leading to him being benched in the final contest while playing just 15 minutes.
The jokes were aplenty this offseason — and many of them were quite enjoyable — but they were laced with a bit of truth to them as well. It led to an important offseason for Russell. His contract indicated the hit his value took and the questions that followed him this offseason were valid.