The Los Angeles Lakers are still emerging as one of the best teams in the Western Conference this season. Pundits have put them right behind the Denver Nuggets in the West, especially after capturing the inaugural in-season tournament championship. What makes them scarier is they still have percolating problems on their squad, but it is not affecting their seeding.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis remain to be one of the best duos in the association, while Austin Reaves has found his rhythm in his new role as the sixth man of Lakers head coach Darvin Ham. Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish have been perfect complementary pieces to James and Davis, while they continue to have the flexibility to bolster their roster before the trade deadline.

Two of the expendable pieces being rumored to be on the block are D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura. Russell had a strong start to the year but has slowed down, while Hachimura's production has not been close to his numbers in the 2023 postseason. With that in mind, this is the particular player from LA who will likely lose some minutes as the season moves along.

Why D'Angelo Russell deserves less time on court

D'Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers

The early season injury to newly-signed point guard Gabe Vincent has likely contributed to why D'Angelo Russell has received extended amount of playing time. Russell had a couple of explosive contests to open their campaign, but Ham has decided to utilize other individuals during crunch time. He still receives ample amount of playing time, but his fourth quarter minutes have plummeted.

The scoring barrage and offensive proficiency of Russell continues to be incredible, but it is his defensive capabilities that remain to be a question mark for the Lakers. Moreover, the style of play of Russell is more individual-centric as he manufactures his baskets through his tremendous talent rather than through the constant ball movement of the team.

Russell should spend another decade in NBA

D'Angelo Russell's approach will grant him a spot for at least the next 10 years in the NBA, but it is not the type of player that will be maximized alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. For instance, Russell's stint with the Brooklyn Nets was splendid because he had the ball in his hands for the majority of possessions as he was tasked to create for himself and his teammates.

Over the course of James' career, it has been proven that his teammates thrive when do not need the ball in their hands for a long period. Thus, Rob Pelinka and the rest of the front office can search for pieces who can mesh better with the nucleus of L.A. Russell is someone who has adequate trade value, but the Lakers would not want one of their best players to be played out of the floor in the playoffs once again.

Austin Reaves has proven to flourish as the primary ball handler on some instances, so it is feasible for Ham to give him more point guard minutes. Additionally, Vincent's return will also cut down the minutes of Russell as well. As the trade deadline approaches, the Lakers must target a shooter like Buddy Hield or Bojan Bogdanovic as both individuals will likely be available.

The perimeter shooting of L.A. is still subpar, so they will need to fortify that if they want to have a repeat of their 2020 championship run. Furthermore, the Lakers can also decide to pursue someone such as Tyus Jones or Malcolm Brogdon if they prefer a facilitator to strengthen their roster.