D'Angelo Russell vs Trae Young: Statistical deep dive to determine who Lakers should have at PG in 2024-25

The LA Lakers, after hiring JJ Redick as their new coach, could be looking at either D'Angelo Russell or Trae Young as their point guard. Russell can take his name out of the equation if he opts out of his $18.6 million player option for next season. The former All-Star might bolt out of Hollywood to play elsewhere. Rumors have swirled that the Orlando Magic are interested in signing him.

Young, meanwhile, is on the Atlanta Hawks’ books for at least two more seasons. He has an Early Termination Option (ETO) heading into the 2026-27 campaign before he becomes an unrestricted free agent the following season.

Assuming D'Angelo Russell opts in, the Lakers could use him as part of a trade package to bring Trae Young to Los Angeles. Based on statistics, it’s clear who LeBron James and his teammates would prefer playing with.

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D'Angelo Russell by the numbers

In 236 games for the LA Lakers, D'Angelo Russell has averaged 15.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.1 steals. Russell had 43.0/38.1/77.9 splits in shooting efficiency in his nearly two-year stay with the team.

Russell also appeared in 21 postseason games for the Lakers. He was part of the group that was swept by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference finals in 2023. The point guard was also on the roster this year when the Lakers were sent home in five games by the same opponents.

D'Angelo Russell averaged 13.5 PPG, 4.5 APG and 2.9 RPG during that stretch. He shot 41.4%, including 31.3% from behind the arc, during that run with the Lakers.

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Trae Young statistics

Trae Young’s numbers are much more impressive than D'Angelo Russell’s statistics.

“Ice Trae” has averaged less than 20 points just once in his career. He put up 19.1 points per game during his first year in the NBA and finished second to Luka Doncic in the Rookie of the Year race. The three-time All-Star has averaged 25.7 PPG, 9.5 APG, 3.6 RPG and 1.0 SPG. Young is shooting 43.6%, including 35.5% from deep in his career.

Trae Young is the franchise cornerstone that has led the Atlanta Hawks to three straight playoff appearances (2021-2023). He has played 27 postseason games for the Hawks and averaged 26.4 PPG, 9.0 APG, 3.4 RPG and 1.2 SPG. His shooting, however, dipped past the regular season. He made just 40.2% of his shots, including a ghastly 29.7% from behind 22 feet.

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of D'Angelo Russell and Trae Young's regular season statistics:

	D'Angelo Russell	Trae Young
PTS	17.8	25.5
REB	3.4	3.6
AST	5.8	9.5
STL	1.1	1.0
BLK	0.3	0.2
TO	2.7	4.2
FG%	43.0	43.6
3-PT FG%	36.9	35.5
FT%	79.2	87.3
TS%	54.7	58.1

Playoff numbers between the two players:

	D'Angelo Russell	Trae Young
PTS	14.2	26.4
REB	2.9	3.4
AST	4.8	9.0
STL	1.0	1.2
BLK	0.2	0.1
TO	2.2	4.4
FG%	38.8	40.2
3-PT FG%	32.7	29.7
FT%	77.2	85.2
TS%	48.4	53.3

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The Lakers will have to consider fit a big part in their decision

The raw numbers will be helpful, but the LA Lakers also have to consider fit. D'Angelo Russell is a solid fit around LeBron James because he knows how to play off the ball. He doesn't need to have it all the time to be effective on offense.

Russell’s problem was his defense, particularly in the playoffs. Over the last two years, the Denver Nuggets have relentlessly attacked him on almost every possession. Once he struggles on that end, his offense usually follows. He was so unplayable in 2023 that former Lakers coach Darvin Ham inserted Dennis Schroder into the starting lineup.

D'Angelo Russell wasn’t as bad in 2024, but just barely so. His best performance came in Game 2 when he shot 8-for-16, including 7-for-11 from deep. Outside of that, he made a combined 7-for-33 from 3-point distance, including 2-for-10 in the Game 5.

If the Lakers go with Trae Young, they will be in a worse situation defensively. “Ice Trae,” though, has been a much better overall playoff performer than Russell, so that might be a game-changer for the Lakers. Young has been hunted relentlessly on defense in the postseason but has remained at least solid on offense.

If the Lakers trade for Young, they will likely lose Austin Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt, putting LA’s perimeter defense in an even more dire situation. It also remains to be seen if the diminutive Hawks guard could adapt to playing as the second or third option on offense. He has shown in his partnership with Dejounte Murray that he gets disinterested in stretches if he isn't the offensive hub.

LA’s options aren't limited to D'Angelo Russell and Trae Young. JJ Redick might go with a solid playmaker who can be a true positive defensively. The splashy signing is unquestionably Young, but the Lakers learned a painful lesson two years ago that disregarding fit could end in a nightmare.