Who knew D’Angelo Russell would deliver the best moment of Lakers media day?
The smart money on Monday would probably be bet LeBron James talking about playing with his son, Bronny. Maybe you would splurge a little Anthony Davis talking about trying to win his first defensive player of the year or Austin Reaves dropping some wild offseason beef rumor with Travis Kelce.
Instead, it was Russell, the Lakers‘ point guard who stepped up to the microphone in the middle of media day with the perfect punch line.
“Surprise surprise,” he told reporters — a reminder that perhaps not everyone expected him to return for the occasion.
For all that Russell is and has been, Monday was perhaps his most self-aware, mocking his frequent stints on the trading block, owning his supreme confidence on the offensive end and his struggles on the other side of the court.
He even, unsolicited, asked for forgiveness.
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“Really, I really want to apologize in the sense of showing a lack of professionalism at times. Showing a lack of team-first perception at times,” he said. “So for me, just maintaining that maturity and that professionalism throughout the year doesn’t matter the ups and downs. Keeping myself more accountable on the defensive side. Obviously, I know I’m capable. But when you get subbed out of the game for an offensive-defensive possession, that shows where your trust is with your coach and your ability. So for me, just trying to get that trust with coach defensively. And consistently, I’m going to show up every day, practice preseason, whatever, knowing that coach has that faith in me as well.
“I think it’s just going to continue in a successful season.”
That answer came to a question about what career year, something coach JJ Redick said he thought Russell could have, could end up looking. Scoring was never mentioned.
General manager Rob Pelinka and Redick both talked about getting the ball in Reaves’ hands more. Gabe Vincent, who played just 11 games last season, is fully fit for the start of camp on Tuesday. Both mean Russell will have to contribute in different ways.
And on Monday, he sounded like he really gets it.
Last season, Russell averaged 18 points and 6.3 assists while making more triples last season than any other Laker in franchise history. However, after another uneven playoff series against Denver, Russell seems committed to change. Asked how, despite some athletic limitations, he was able to impact games defensively, Russell looked inward.
“Concentrate. Just focus,” he said. “…I’m able to come out of a missed box, a missed back-end opportunity, a missed break like that which can cost a game. When you watch film, you see me have those plays a little more often. I try to limit those games with myself so I can gain that confidence to stay on the floor at the end of games.”
Redick surprised people last week when he said Russell was the player he probably spent the most time chatting with this summer. And when Russell opted out of his contract before free agency, people with knowledge of the decision said conversations with Redick played a factor and added to his enthusiasm for a return.
“He will have an important role in this team. I think the thing that DLo and I talked about a lot is just like, ‘Let’s put you in a position to have a career year,’” Redick said last week. “His mindset, his energy, the speech he brought, the leadership he brought when he was in the building, was great. So I’m thrilled. Thrilled to coach DLo this season.”
The praise mattered.
“He’s… hairy [how] my energy is kind of contagious,” he said. “So just being a positive guy, a high-confidence guy, an IQ guy. I think, I’m vocal. Me being vocal in the short time I was here this summer, I think he kind of recognized it and harped on it a little more than normal. Just keep doing that. Keep it up. We love to see that. We realize that.’ These kind words mean a lot to me because I am not used to hearing them.”
Russell pointed to Redick’s organization over the summer as a reason why things have a “new” feel around the Lakers’ facility, even if Russell knows he’s likely bound for another round of Trade Machine rumors due to his 18-year contract. .7 million USD that expires after this season. .
“Be sure to think since I got back [with the Lakers starting in 2022]We did an incredible job of putting things together and winging it a little bit,” Russell said. “I think during that ‘wing’, we kind of knew where our flaws were. Obviously, rebounding and things like that can lose games, But it starts now in the summer with the structure that you try to implement. Figuring out our last two minutes of the game, the sooner we can figure that out the better. I’m looking forward to having that experience going into the season with some of our familiar faces children who were not healthy last year are healthy.
“I like our group.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
