D’Angelo Russell hasn’t thought about offseason, will ‘take advantage’ of his leverage

Sure seems like D’Angelo Russell will see if the grass is greener elsewhere before deciding if he wants to remain a Laker next season.

The D'Angelo Russell experience had its share of ups and downs this year.

Russell set the Lakers' single-season 3-point record and put his best numbers in a purple and gold uniform, averaging 18 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.1 rebounds per game.

He was also benched during the early part of the season due to poor performance, a decision that reportedly "did not sit well" within the Lakers locker room.

The bad version of Russell also reared its ugly head during the first round matchup against the Nuggets, where he put up a Game 3 stinker where he had zero points on 0-7 shooting.

With the mixed bag that was his season and a player option in hand, Russell was asked what he would do this summer during his exit interview.

"When I signed my contract last year, I knew what position I was going to put myself in,' Russell said. "So, to be in that position now with a little leverage, I'll try to take advantage of it."

There's some reading between the lines here, but it sounds like he'll at least be seeing what the market looks like for himself, which might mean opting out of his deal or waiting to opt in until then.

Russell has proven he's a productive player with electrifying moments, but his defensive limitations, frequency of turnovers and inconsistency when facing elite talent can be infuriating.

Like many very good but not great NBA players, Russell is talented but has flaws. Even if he opts into his contract, it doesn't mean he'll actually play for the Lakers. The team is reportedly expected to be 'aggressive' in the trade market this offseason and could package Russell in a deal.

This could very well be the end of Russell's time as a Laker, but we've thought that before, and then he found his way back to Southern California.

So this time, if he does opt out and sign elsewhere, I'll say "au revoir," which translates from French to English, into goodbye until we meet again, instead of giving him a more permanent adiós.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.