Report: Magic Interested In Adding Lakers’ D’Angelo Russell

According to NBA insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Orlando Magic are interested in adding Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell. 

Russell can become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he declines his 2024-25 player option with the Lakers worth $18.7 million. 

“Orlando’s the team,” Buha said. “Orlando is the team that talking to people with the Lakers, talking to people outside the Lakers, Orlando is the team that probably gives them the most concern in terms of a potential suitor.”

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, NBA executives believe the Magic are a team to monitor this offseason to make a notable upgrade and improve their shooting.

The Magic could potentially have $50-60 million in cap space this summer. 

“With Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs on rookie-scale contracts and Wendell Carter on a team-friendly deal, rival executives believe the Magic are a team to monitor this offseason to make a notable upgrade and improve their shooting,” Scotto wrote. 

The Magic are 30th in the NBA this season in 3-point field goals and 23rd in 3-point field goal percentage. They need more shooters around Banchero and Wagner.

Russell is averaging 18.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 6.4 assists this season for the Lakers while shooting 45.9% from the field, 42.0% from beyond the arc and 82.4% from the free-throw line. 

The Lakers almost traded Russell at this year’s NBA trade deadline, but the front office decided not to make any moves. 

“It’s definitely pressure,” Russell told Scotto when asked what it’s like playing in a potential contract season. “It’s something that can eat a lot of people up in the league. A lot of people can be too high at times and too low at times, which causes an emotional roller coaster through the ups and downs of the season. For me, I wanted to control that. I wanted to stay sane and stay even-keeled through the ups and the downs.”