Years After Kicking a “Naive” D’Angelo Russell Off the Lakers, Magic Johnson Takes a Complete U-Turn the as 26-Year-Old Star Returns to Purple and Gold

A couple of days ago, news broke that the Los Angeles Lakers acquired D’Angelo Russell from the Minnesota Timberwolves. This deal worked out after three teams, including the Lakers, agreed on a trade package that included Russell Westbrook. The Lakers traded Westbrook to the Utah Jazz. Along with Westbrook, Jazz received Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, and a 2027 1st-round pick. Minnesota acquired Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and a few second-round draft picks. While Westbrook’s trade raised a few eyebrows, D’Angelo Russell’s name stood out for many, including Magic Johnson. 

For the NBA star, being included in the Lakers roster felt all too familiar. This is because D’Angelo has flaunted the purple and gold colors for his initial years in the league. In the 2015 drafts, the Lakers picked Russell, and he played with the likes of late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. However, the Brooklyn Nets acquired him in 2017. In a way, this is a full-circle moment for the NBA All-Star. With this joy in mind, Magic showered heaps of praise on D’Angelo.

From criticism to praise, Magic Johnson on D’Angelo Russell

Magic Johnson took to Twitter to talk about all the trade moves made by the Lakers. These moves included the Westbrook trade and the Patrick Beverley trade. The Beverley trade helped the Lakers acquire Mo Bamba, while the Westbrook one brought the likes of D’Angelo and Milak Beasley.

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He wrote that including Russell, Bamba, and Beasley could prove crucial for the Lakers. The five-time NBA Champion claimed they could help the Lakers reach the playoffs with their craft. However, he focused on D’Angelo and wrote, “Russell’s playmaking and 3-point shooting ability will help out LeBron James and Anthony Davis.”

This statement came as a surprise to many because Johnson pushed for Russell to be traded in 2017. On JJ Reddick’s podcast, The Old Man and The Three Podcast, two years ago, Russell spoke about the times he had been traded. He stated that the trade out of the Lakers hurt him the most, and he took it personally. He reasoned this out and said, “Only LA (hurt) because Magic kicked me in a** on the way out and I didn’t understand that, I was kinda young and naive.” 

Following this, he revealed the conversation he had with Johnson. He said, “He was just like man, we need leaders, we need leaders. We need a guy that guys want to play for.” When this trade transpired, Russell was barely 21. He admitted that he barely knew what it meant to be a leader because he was new to the big stage. All he hoped for was better guidance.

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Reddick reminded the listeners of this and said, “You couldn’t legally drink wine but you are supposed to be a leader of a franchise, which is just crazy to me.”