Russell says he intends to opt in, stay with Lakers

D'Angelo Russell plans to exercise his $18.7 million player option and return to the Los Angeles Lakers for next season, he told Swish Cultures late Friday night.

Russell, 28, returned to the Lakers last summer, signing a one-year deal with a player option for the 2024-25 season. He averaged 18 points and 6.3 assists in 76 games (including 69 starts), before averaging 14.2 points and 4.2 assists in Los Angeles' five-game loss to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.

A 2019 NBA All-Star, Russell has averaged 17.8 points and 5.8 assists across his nine NBA seasons, which have included a pair of stints with the Lakers, plus stops with the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves.

A smooth pick-and-roll operator and scoring guard, Russell has averaged at least those career averages in points and assists in each of the past six seasons.