JJ Redick reveals one thing he 'loved' about ex-Lakers star D'Angelo Russell

The Los Angeles Lakers finally fulfilled the fanbase's request of getting a few new faces on the roster amid poor performances over the last few seasons.

Well, they did acquire Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, but it came at the cost of losing an elite scorer in D'Angelo Russell.

It was Russell's second stint with the Purple and Gold. Sure, it was full of ups and downs, but overall, he played a key role in the team's 2023 Western Conference Finals.

A huge reason why D'Lo will be missed in Lakers jersey was given by head coach JJ Redick. The rookie head coach didn't think twice before praising the veteran guard's ability to be coached.

"Loved coaching DLo," Redick said. "I told you guys this before, I spent more time with that guy and on the phone this summer, on the golf course. I told him many times that I want a great outcome for him and I'm hoping he has a great rest of the year. We're gonna miss his playmaking. We're gonna miss his ball-handling. We're gonna miss his shooting."

Prior to getting traded, Russell averaged 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game for the Lakers.

Sure, his numbers are down from the previous season, but it was bound to happen. After all, Redick demoted D'Lo to the bench after a shaky start to the season.

However, since being tasked to lead the second unit, Russell's performance improved for the Lakers. Ultimately, at this point, the organization required a good defender rather than a scorer.

As a result, it made sense to part ways with him, but there isn't any bad blood between the two sides, at least for now.