The youth movement is beginning for the Los Angeles Lakers. The team stayed put at the trade deadline, opting to retain all of their young talent with the idea that they would help usher in a new era for the franchise following the retirement of Kobe Bryant. That plan has been met with criticism as players like D'Angelo Russell have struggled on the court. After getting benched several times this season, the Lakers are putting their faith in Russell for the remainder of the season.
According to Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com, the Lakers will start Russell at the point guard spot for the remainder of the season. Russell was the No.2 overall draft pick this season, but has yet to really look the part. He has been up and down all season. He started the first 20 games of the season before getting benched. Head coach Byron Scott has criticized the rookie time and time again, but he believes now is a good time to keep Russell in the starting lineup.
"It was just time," Scott said, via ESPN.com. "Each month he has seemed to get better. He's really starting to understand what this game is all about. He still needs to pick it up at times. Obviously on both ends he needs to continue to work, but I like what I saw [Sunday], and I like what I've been seeing from him over the last couple months."
Russell will join Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle in the starting lineup for the rest of the season. The young trio is expected to be the future of the franchise, so this will be a good test for the three players. Russell told ESPN that this will give them a chance to grow together and improve in order to step up next year. Bryant has been watching the youth movement start to take place with the franchise. Things are looking better than even just a month ago when Bryant called out the trio for not taking a loss seriously.
"Bryant took particular aim at Lakers rookie point guard D'Angelo Russell and second-year forward Julius Randle and even called them out by name, sources said," Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News reported.
If Russell, Clarkson and Randle can improve, they might be an enticing trio to sign on with. The Lakers will have the money and salary cap space to get a high-profiled free agent on the team. Reports have said the team plans on chasing Kevin Durant with a max contract, but right now Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported on Fox Sports Radio the Warriors are the frontrunners for the upcoming free agent. Improved play from the young roster could change that.