D’Angelo Russell threw shade at his time with LA Lakers, making some comments about how they run their franchise.
D’Angelo Russell is perhaps the only player in NBA history to get traded from the same team to another team twice.
In 2017, the Los Angeles Lakers traded Russell to the Brooklyn Nets. The move turned out to be the making of him, as Russell became an All-Star for the first time in Brooklyn.
Years later, after a lot of twists, turns, and trades in his career, Russell wound up back on the LA Lakers in 2023.
His time there wouldn’t last very long, as at the end of 2024, the Lakers would trade Russell to the Nets once again.
He finished the season with them before becoming a free agent. As a free agent, Russell signed with the Dallas Mavericks. But now, as he looks back on his Lakers stint, Russell has some pointed words for them.
Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty ImagesD’Angelo Russell claims LA Lakers have no structure, applauds Brooklyn Nets
During a recent conversation with Dwyane Wade, D’Angelo Russell looked back on his two brief stints with the LA Lakers.
He seemed to insinuate that the Lakers had no structure, and after coming to the Nets, he learned how to become a professional, thanks to their structured approach to player development.
“I came from the Lakers where the structure is not the same, and then I go to Brooklyn, where it’s all structure, and it taught me how to be a professional.
“I always approach the game to where I was nonchalant and I felt like I could just wing it… they taught me how to be a professional, how to sleep, how to eat, how to recover.”
His tone about the Nets is interesting. Back in 2021, Russell slammed Nets GM Sean Marks for the way he treated him. But perhaps he is naming the Nets strategically in an effort to shade the Lakers.
D’Angelo Russell opens up about the difference of structure being on the Lakers versus the Nets:
“I came from the Lakers where the structure is not the same, and then I go to Brooklyn where it’s all structure and it taught me how to be a professional.” 💯 pic.twitter.com/tkElY9gh2M
— Wy Network by Dwyane Wade (@wynetwork) August 6, 2025
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D’Angelo Russell might be in for a surprise with Dallas Mavericks
If D’Angelo Russell was so perturbed by the Lakers’ lack of structure and organization, he might face a nightmare dealing with the Dallas Mavericks.
Mavericks GM Nico Harrison gambled massively this offseason when he sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers in one of the most criticized trades in NBA history.
And if it weren’t for the Mavericks landing Cooper Flagg in the NBA Draft, their franchise’s future would be in jeopardy for years to come.
Harrison’s short-sighted approach to team construction suggests there is no long-term plan in place for the Mavericks.
Hopefully, the Mavericks are able to overcome any other mistakes Harrison can or will make in the years to come, and Russell can find success with the team.