D’Angelo Russell: Will fight for starting spot

While Russell, acquired in June as part of a deal that sent Brook Lopez to the
Lakers, may have the highest upside of any player on the roster, Lowe’s report
implies that the third-year guard will not be handed a starting spot. With
Timofey Mozgov and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson expected to start at center and power
forward, respectively, several players — DeMarre Carroll, Allen Crabbe, Jeremy
Lin, Caris LeVert, and Russell — will battle it out for the remaining three
spots. Lowe notes that the combination of Lin, LeVert and Crabbe may have the
inside track, though it seems highly likely that Russell will be given a chance
to start — whether it’s at the one or the two — at some point, considering his
standing as a former No. 2 overall pick, who averaged nearly 16 points per game
for a dysfunctional team last season. Whether Russell starts or not, he’ll still
be a key rotation player, though gauging his fantasy value heading into the
season will be a difficult task.