"Hmmm I see D'Angelo Russell is trending... I actually liked his film. Thanks bro," Azalea tweeted in late March at the time of the scandal. Azalea dumped Young this week.
It made the timing of this Foot Locker commercial - which also features Aussie prospect Ben Simmons - particularly awkward. The draft-themed ad hit the Internet today - and featured a nowhere-near-subtle joke about Russell's role in the sordid episode.
Young was, um, not amused.
"Unfortunately although I love Nick and have tried and tried to rebuild trust in him - It's become apparent in the last few weeks that I'm unable to," Azalea said after kicking Young - and his many possessions - to the curb. "It's never easy to part ways with the person you planned your entire future with, but futures can be rewritten and as of today mine is a blank page."
Russell's future is something of a blank page, too, as the NBA off-season whirs into high gear. The Lakers have escaped from the oppressive shadow of Kobe Bryant's retirement tour, hired flashy coaching prodigy Luke Walton and own the No. 2 pick in this week's NBA Draft.
ESPN's Chad Ford reported the Lakers may not be locked on Duke's Brandon Ingram, the presumptive No. 2, and one alternate scenario includes shopping Russell.
"I think more likely the Lakers are trying to pick up another pick in this draft in the top five and the guy that they have that they can shop is D'Angelo Russell, a guy who was their No. 2 pick in the draft last year but burned some bridges in the locker room," Ford said recently on SportsCenter.
Russell, 20, averaged 13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.5 turnovers in 28.2 minutes per game under since-fired coach Byron Scott, who always appeared reluctant to give Russell a major role.
It's unclear how Walton scouted Russell's debut effort, or what resentment lingers among Lakers teammates (especially Young, who is signed through 2018), but if he's on the trading block, Russell may have reason to pout.
