By: Justin Gincauskas
D’Angelo Russell has struggled in December for the Los Angeles Lakers. He has averaged under 10 points per game in eight games this month and has only reached double figures in three of those games. His play has Kendrick Perkins calling for him not only to get traded but also to be traded for some Christmas decorations.
“It’s about D’Angelo Russell. Right now, I would trade D’Angelo Russell for a box of Christmas-scented candles and a lifelong supply of Christmas lights,” Perkins said Thursday on ESPN’s NBA Today. “That’s how horrible he’s been.”
“We’re talking about DLo, a guy who could go out every night and get you a dub. The Lakers need scoring. They need to take the pressure off LeBron James. Need pressure to be taken off Anthony Davis…. You gotta look at D’Angelo Russell because he’s been too inconsistent…. So, I’m looking at D’Angelo Russell, and he got to get it together.”
Russell is averaging 15.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game this season. If that continues to hold, it would be Russell’s lowest average points per game in a season since his rookie year. In his last five games, Russell has shot just 25% from the three-point line, making just six of his previous 24 attempts.
Kendrick Perkins also said that Lakers head coach Darvin Ham and some other players deserve criticism. He specifically spoke about Rui Hachimura, saying, “Rui has to elevate his game more and be more consistent.” Perkins also expressed that Cam Reddish needs to be more consistent as well.
The Los Angeles Lakers currently find themselves in a slump. After winning the NBA In-Season Tournament, the Lakers have lost five of their last six games. They are on a four-game losing streak and have dropped down to the ninth seed in the Western Conference.
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