One of the biggest talking points about the Los Angeles Lakers offseason was what the team would do with veteran point guard D’Angelo Russell. Upon returning to LA last season, Russell was great for the Lakers on their way to the Western Conference Finals.

But once the lights got to be the brightest, Russell shrank and was ultimately played off the court. This led many to believe that he may not return to Los Angeles for this season, but he ended up signing a two-year deal to remain with the Lakers.

At the teams’ Media Day, Russell opened up about why he resigned with the Lakers, even with all of the scrutiny that came his way at the end of last season.

The Lakers making Russell feel wanted is interesting, especially considering that many reports were that the team was looking to upgrade from him. But he did have a natural flow alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James, so it makes sense to bring him back to see if they can expand on things.

His ability to shoot the three efficiently makes him a great player to put on the court with the star players, and his passing ability opens things up as well. His biggest issue is his defense, and it is something that he has worked on this summer to improve.

However, if Russell continues to struggle this season, he will likely be moved at the trade deadline. His contract is pretty team-friendly for his skillset, and there are plenty of other teams that would be interested in getting him in a deal.

It’ll be interesting to see how Russell does this coming season. And for now, he remains the starting point guard, after head coach Darvin Ham said he would open the year in that role.