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          Los Angeles Lakers

          Russell gives best pitch to Aldridge

          • Baxter Holmes, ESPN Senior WriterJun 30, 2015, 06:18 PM ET
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              Baxter Holmes (@Baxter) is a senior writer for ESPN Digital and Print, focusing on the NBA. He has covered the Lakers, the Celtics and previously worked for The Boston Globe and Los Angeles Times.
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          D'Angelo Russell has been a member of the Los Angeles Lakers for less than a week, but already the No. 2 overall draft pick is playing the role of recruiter.

          In a radio appearance with Jim Rome on Tuesday, Russell, the ex-Ohio State standout guard, was asked to make a pitch for free-agent All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge to join the Lakers.

          "Man, who doesn't want to be in L.A., starting with that," Russell said. "The franchise is on the come up, they've been so spoiled with winning around here, losing is not an option.

          "I mean Portland, he played well, they played well as a team, they made some strides. But L.A., just me being out here for these few days, these few months I was before, there's nothing like it. A lot of guys want to be here, a lot of guys live here in the summer, so many faces here that you play on the Lakers you are already at the top of the crop of all the people that live here."

          Aldridge is expected to meet with seven teams -- including the Lakers -- as he considers where he will sign as the free agency period begins at 9 p.m. PT Tuesday. Reports indicate he is likely to leave the Portland Trail Blazers, where he has played for the past nine seasons.