If the narrative is to be believed, then the Los Angeles Lakers need to part with D’Angelo Russell while there’s still time. Russell is exceptionally talented, but his postseason play makes him a net-negative player for a team that’s hoping to contend.

A mere glimpse at the bigger picture, however, reveals a far more challenging reality: For as poorly as he’s performed in the playoffs, Russell has been instrumental in Los Angeles simply getting there.

The 2024 NBA Playoffs were an undeniably brutal chapter in Russell’s career. He infamously scored zero points on 0-of-7 shooting during an essential Game 3, during which Los Angeles held a 53-49 lead at halftime and ultimately lost by just seven points, 112-105.

The Lakers managed to win Game 4, thus preventing a sweep, but Russell shot just 2-of-10 from beyond the arc in the decisive Game 5—a 108-106 loss.

Unfortunately, it was par for the course from Russell, who has struggled throughout his career during the playoffs. Numbers only mean so much, but his career averages of 14.2 points and 4.8 assists on .388/.327/.772 shooting through 32 postseason games speak volumes.

For as true as that may be, the one reality that the Lakers can’t afford to overlook is that they wouldn’t have been in the playoffs without Russell.

D’Angelo Russell struggles in the playoffs—but how do the Lakers get there without him?

The Lakers have reached the playoffs via the Play-In Tournament in each of the past two seasons. They barely escaped the .500 line in 2022-23 at 43-39, and an improved 47-35 record in 2023-24 was the eighth-best mark in the Western Conference.