Five things to watch in D’Angelo Russell’s 2015-16 season

LA Lakers press conference to introduce 2015 NBA Draftees - D'Angelo Russell (shown), Antonio Brown and Larry Nance Jr. - at training facility in El Segundo. Photo by Brad Graverson/LANG/06/29/15

Lakers rookie guard D’Angelo Russell enters the 2015-16 NBA season with plenty of expectations. Photo by Brad Graverson/LANG/06/29/15

Below is the second in a series looking at five things surrounding each notable player on the Lakers’ roster for the 2014-15 season. This post focuses on Lakers rookie guard D’Angelo Russell.

1. Can Russell become the Lakers’ prized point guard?

The Lakers resisted the nostalgia. They ignored the majority of the retired jerseys hanging in the Staples Center rafters. They did not consider that men named George, Wilt, Kareem and Shaquille once delivered them NBA championships through multiple generations. Instead of drafting a big man in Jahlil Okafor, the Lakers used their No. 2 pick on D’Angelo Russell. The Lakers did this partly to adapt to the modern NBA. But they mostly did this because they remain convinced Russell is the best player of this class after he displayed the most confidence and polish in his pre-draft workouts.

But will Russell become as good as advertised?

Russell did not offer a compelling sneak preview at the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 11.8 points on 37.7 percent shooting, 3.2 assists and 3.5 turnovers. But neither the Lakers nor the Russell are paying attention to those numbers. Instead, the Lakers and Russell believe he will overcome any learning curve because of his strong outside shooting, crisp passing, court awareness and leadership that ensured an average of 19.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and five assists while shooting 41 percent from three-point range during his freshman season at Ohio State. So much that Lakers coach Byron Scott said on NBA draft night that “D’Angelo has a chance to be a superstar.”

Scott has since insisted that no one can compare Russell to Magic Johnson. But the Lakers hold out optimism Russell can become the franchise’s next great point guard that leaves them dazzled with his passes and elated over his championship deliverance.

2. How does Russell adjust with Kobe Bryant?

How anyone plays with Bryant marks a rite of passage. They see his work ethic up close. They have the ball less. They handle his demanding expectations. Russell has said he craves such treatment and cannot wait to soak in all the lessons Bryant has to offer through playing 19 NBA seasons and winning five championships. But can Russell still thrive without having the ball in his hands?

Granted, the Lakers drafted Russell partly so Bryant will not have the ball so much. That should give Bryant easier looks and reduce his workload. That should allow Russell to run the offense as he sees fit. Yet, Bryant’s game still partly centers on creating his own shot. That will put the pressure on Russell to ensure he can also thrive as an off-ball shooter and floor spacer.

3. How will Russell fare in Scott’s system?

On paper, Scott has a proven track record with all of his starting point guards he ever coached. Scott coached a future Hall of Famer in New Jersey (Jason Kidd). Scott coached a player in New Orleans that nearly ended up on the Lakers (Chris Paul). Scott coached a player in Cleveland that is considered one of the league’s rising stars (Kyrie Irving). Yet, Scott also runs a Princeton-based offense that does not mirror the conventional systems that put a heavy reliance on pick-and-roll and outside shooting.

Russell has admitted feeling unfamiliar with the system. But he has vowed he will buy into it. How long will that process take? Will Russell feel inhibited in the offense as Steve Nash did three years ago when Mike Brown ran another version of the Princeton offense? Or will Russell figure it out as quickly as he can run up and down the court?

It remains unclear to what degree Scott will cater his system to match Russell’s comfort level. It remains unclear to what degree Russell will have to change his game. But how the Lakers and Russell crack this puzzle will largely determine his ceiling.

4. Can Russell and Jordan Clarkson build off their chemistry?

It did not take long for Clarkson to immediately embrace sharing backcourt duties with Russell. Clarkson expressed openness toward the idea well before the Lakers even drafted Russell. It did not take long for Clarkson to immediately adjust his game after serving as the Lakers’ starting point guard in the second half of his rookie season. Clarkson played at shooting guard in Summer League play, averaging a team-leading 16.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and two assists per game. But can Russell and Clarkson build off their momentum entering the 2015-16 season?

It seems likely.

Russell and Clarkson’s games are primarily different. Even if Russell led the Buckeyes in scoring, he prefers passing the ball. Even if Clarkson managed ball handling duties through the team’s 38 of its last 39 games, he looks to score first. Both players split bringing the ball up the court mostly based on who rebounded the ball.

But there marks two variables that could make this dynamic more complicated. Bryant’s presence strips both players away from splitting these roles evenly. Even when accounting for Bryant’s presence, Clarkson could draw more double teams both because of his year-long emergence and his thirst for scoring. Clarkson also represents another player (along with Young and Williams) who score partly because they can create their own shot.

That provides Russell with the ultimate challenge on finding the right balance between commanding the offense as he sees fit and ensuring he gives his teammates the right amount of touches.

5. Will Russell find the right pace for the Lakers?

Finally, the Lakers have the personnel to play at a speed more conducive to the modern NBA. Russell and Clarkson are fast. The Lakers expect Julius Randle to become a point-forward. Larry Nance. Jr and Tarik Black offer plenty of energy in the frontcourt. Young, Williams and rookie forward Anthony Brown have spring in their step, too.

Yet, two players could slow the Lakers’ pace down. Bryant might out of efforts to conserve energy. Roy Hibbert likely will because he does not run fast. So how does Russell play at the right pace to accommodate all parties?

The best approach could entail the Lakers becoming an equal-opportunity running and slow-paced team. They could become dangerous if they run when all their young players step on the floor. They could become methodical when both Hibbert and Bryant play together. But the Lakers will also have to temper their running to ensure their young players minimize mistakes. They will have to increase their pace to ensure Hibbert and Bryant do not play predictably. But that all depends on how Russell handles the steering wheel.

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mark.medina@langnews.com.