Should D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Davis get championship rings if Lakers win?

The LA Lakers made some drastic changes to their rosters this season, which included parting ways with D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Davis. Russell was traded back to the Brooklyn Nets in late December to bring in Dorian Finney-Smith as a reliable 3-point shooter who can elevate the offensive capabilities of the Purple and Gold from range.

So far, the trade has turned out to be great for the Lakers as Finney-Smith is shooting 39.8% from range. JJ Redick has cleverly incorporated the former Nets player in the lineup, using him as a release valve on the wings and as a reliable shot taker during drive-and-kick plays.

On the other hand, Anthony Davis' trade was more shocking as it brought in the five-time All-Star Luka Doncic to California and sent the 10-time All-Star to Dallas. Although the Mavericks had made the trade to "win now," the Lakers have been the obvious winners in the trade.

The Mavs narrowly missed making the playoffs while the Lakers qualified without needing to participate in the play-in tournament. Luka Doncic has been excellent on his new team and has elevated the Purple and Gold's offensive prowess to the next level. Since joining the Lakers, Doncic is averaging 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game.

The Purple and Gold are currently facing off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs. They have tied the series at 1-1 and will play the third game on Friday. D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Davis have undeniably contributed to the Purple and Gold's success this season.

Russell played 29 games for the Lakers this season, while Anthony Davis made 42 appearances for his former team. If the Lakers get past the Timberwolves and win the championship, there is a high chance that the two former players will receive championship rings as well.

There is no rule that dictates that players need to get a ring if their former team wins the championship the same season they were traded.

The decision to give out a ring to a former player lies within the discretion of the franchise's owners. In 2016, Anderson Varejo was traded to the Blazers after playing 30 games for the Cavaliers. He was released by the Blazers and ended up signing with the Warriors.

The Cavs went on to win the championship the same season after making a historic comeback against the Warriors after being down 3-1 in the series. After the win, the Cavs' owner contacted the Brazilian international and wanted to offer him a championship ring as a token of appreciation for his efforts during his time at the Cavs that season.

However, Varejo declined the offer. Later, the Dubs traded him to the Blazers again and went on to win the 2017 NBA championship. The Warriors also offered Varejo a ring and this time, he accepted their offer.

Given Varejo's case, the Lakers can offer D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Davis rings if they win the championship this season. However, the decision to accept the token of appreciation would still lie with the players.

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss reveals the reason behind the Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic trade

The Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic trade took the basketball world by storm, with many left confused as to why either of the franchises involved would make such a decision.

The Mavericks' Nico Harrison expressed his belief in "defense wins championships" and stated it as a reason behind the trade. Lakers owner Jeanie Buss expressed her thoughts on the trade in an interview with SiriusXTM NBA Radio's Rob Perez.

"Anthony Davis, we won a championship. Do you know how hard that was? We were not looking to trade Anthony Davis. Dallas contacted us. And he had been making it clear that he wasn't happy, that he was having to play the center. He wanted to play the power forward," Buss said.

Davis did get his wish to play at his preferred position, but unfortunately, injury issues followed him to Dallas, cutting his game time. Since getting traded, Davis has made only nine appearances for the Mavericks. He is expected to make a strong return next season.