D’Angelo Russell sprained his right ankle in the first quarter of their game against the Golden State Warriors on February 23. He did not return to the game.
Latest news on D’Angelo Russell’ injury status
Russell hurt himself when he stepped back to pass the ball under the basket and stepped on Warriors guard Donte DiVincenzo’s foot.
TNT’s Chris Haynes later reported that x-rays were negative, and an MRI would not be necessary to further evaluate the injury.
Lakers say D'Angelo Russell is out for the rest of the game with a sprained right ankle.
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) February 24, 2023
“Wrong place, wrong time definitely,” Russell said after the game. “Pretty unlucky for me. Players roll their ankle all the time. I don’t do that often, so it’s obviously new. It is what it is. Not really worried.”
The Lakers beat the Warriors 124-111 despite losing Russell and getting combined totals of 25 points from LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Lakers are now 28-32 on the season.
“The pieces we added for defense, for offense looks pretty good,” Davis said postgame. “I think we’re playing well. We’re clicking. … Hopefully D-Lo’s injury isn’t severe where he misses time. I think we got a complete team where we’re able to make a little run.”
According to Russell, his ankle hurt after the Lakers game against the Warriors. The All-Star hopes to play on February 26 against the Dallas Mavericks, so he is going to get medication and go through some rehabilitation.
“Sore, sore,” Russell said about his ankle. “Any other ankle injury, same thing. Sore. Try and bounce back tomorrow, see how I feel. Get some meds in me, some rehab.”
On the season, Russell is shooting 46.4% from the field, 38.9% from deep, and 85.0% from the charity stripe for an average of 17.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. In four games started for the Lakers, the Ohio State product is averaging 13.5 points and 5.0 assists.
It was previously reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on February 15 that the Lakers and Russell are both interested in extending their current contracts. This summer, Russell will be a free agent with no contractual obligations.
“Both the Lakers and D’Angelo Russell have already expressed to each other an interest in starting conversations on a contract extension,” Wojnarowski said on NBA Countdown.
“Russell could be a free agent this summer, but the Lakers traded for him — giving up as part of that package a first-round pick, two second-round picks — not to be a rental, but to be a solution at that point guard position. So expect D’Angelo Russell and the Lakers to really start engaging on those extension talks here in the next weeks and months into the offseason.”
