SHOCKING: LeBron James rumored leaving Los Angele Lakers for The Celtics

Last season, the Los Angeles Lakers appeared to be struggling, hovering around 13th place in the standings for much of the year. With no significant changes in sight, it seemed like another disappointing season was on the horizon.

However, everything changed when Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka orchestrated a series of trades just before the deadline. These moves propelled Los Angeles into contention, eventually leading them to the Western Conference Finals despite starting as the seventh seed. The turnaround was remarkable, largely attributed to the acquisition of a new roster during the 2023 trade deadline.

Among the five new players brought in, point guard D’Angelo Russell stood out as the most impactful addition to the team.

Russell seamlessly integrated into the Los Angeles lineup upon his arrival, forming a strong connection with fellow guard Austin Reaves. Moreover, his compatibility with superstars Anthony Davis and LeBron James was evident, leading to a string of victories for the team. However, despite their impressive performance, there were some underlying issues during last season.

In a recent interview with ESPN Lakers insider Dave McMenamin, Russell revealed tensions between himself and former Lakers guard Dennis Schröder, stemming from Schröder’s close relationship with head coach Darvin Ham.

Russell found himself shouldering much of the blame for the Los Angeles Lakers’ series loss against the Denver Nuggets, primarily due to his subpar performance on the court. Despite this, he was not afforded an opportunity to make amends during the series. Instead, head coach Darvin Ham continued to rely on Dennis Schröder, despite his struggles to provide offensive firepower.

There appears to be a strained relationship between Ham and Russell, evident from Russell’s recent removal from the starting lineup. The reasons behind this decision remain unclear, leaving room for speculation.

Ham finally put him back in a couple of weeks later, and that’s when Russell turned the corner into the play we see now.

The 28-year-old has been the catalyst for the Lakers being six games over .500 for the first time this season. He and the Lakers are playing great basketball (at least on the offensive end) and have a chance to climb up the standings with a month left in the season.

Russell has solidified his position as the third star on the team, earning praise and support from Lakers superstar LeBron James, who is fully onboard with the hype surrounding Russell.The favoritism displayed by Ham is evident, even to those who aren’t Lakers fans. Nevertheless, Russell remains committed to playing his game regardless of Ham’s sentiments towards him.