According to reports, D’Angelo Russell was looking for a four-year contract extension worth $100 million before he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in the middle of this past season. The Minnesota Timberwolves obviously didn’t want to pay him that amount, which is why they opted to cash in on the former All-Star.
It’s now decision time for the Lakers with Russell’s current contract set to expire this offseason. NBA insider Dave McMenamin of ESPN now reports that Russell can pocket up to $67.5 million for the next couple of seasons — a figure that the Lakers aren’t expected to meet:
“Russell is eligible to sign a two-year, $67.5 million extension by June 30, which the Lakers will not pursue at the max number, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN,” McMenamin wrote in his report.
Is D’Angelo Russell a $30+ million per year type of star? The Lakers don’t seem to believe so. Whether or not he’s able to secure the $100 million, four-year extension he was initially hoping for remains to be seen, though. That new deal will potentially allow him to pocket roughly $25 million per year, which could still be a tad high for the Lakers’ estimation as well as their salary cap.
Austin Reaves is also set for a big-money extension, and he’s expected to be a bigger priority than D’Angelo Russell, so surely, Reaves’ potential new deal should also have an impact on whatever extension D-Lo is able to secure with the Lakers.