It’s hard to imagine, given how abruptly and messy the separation was, that the Lakers are in a space in which offering a long-term contract to D’Angelo Russell appears to be the preferred outcome for all parties involved.
Only a handful of years ago, Russell was shipped out to Brooklyn and kicked on his way out the door. But a new coaching staff, a new front office figurehead and an improved, more mature Russell all equals out to a future between the former No. 2 overall pick and the franchise that drafted him so many years ago.