D'Angelo Russell opting into his player option is good for the Lakers

D'Angelo Russell is reportedly opting into his player option for next season. He will now become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Russell will give the Lakers a reliable third scorer and primary ball-handler alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Russell is coming off a strong season for the Lakers. He averaged 18 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists while shooting 45.6% from the field and 41.5% from three-point range. Unfortunately for the Lakers, Russell's performances have consistently dropped when the postseason has begun , with back-to-back underwhelming playoff seasons.

GM Rob Pelinka could use Russell's expiring contract status to find a trade that makes sense for the franchise.  There is no guarantee Russell will spend the entire season with the Purple and Gold. The Lakers may look for a new ball-handler with a history of performing at a high level in the postseason.

New Lakers coach JJ Redick will likely plan to get more out of Russell in the upcoming season, especially in terms of helping him thrive next to James and Davis. Redick will undoubtedly value the pick-and-roll production Russell provides. He will likely try to utilize his ability to attack close-outs off the dribble, too. Redick could look to get more out of Russell without sacrificing touches for James or Davis.

Russell's choice to opt in may be based on his current free-agent market. He could hope to improve his value around the NBA heading into next summer. To do that, he must perform at a high level and bounce back during the playoffs. Otherwise, he will likely struggle to earn a pay rise next summer, regardless of what team he signs with.

The Lakers and Russell are both looking for improvements this season. They both have a reason to hit the ground running and look to impress. There's a lot riding on this season for Russell.

Redick will have a motivated guard with All-Star upside at his disposal. Whether he can be the coach to get the best out of him in Lakerland will remain to be seen.