D'Angelo Russell to come off bench for the next five to 10 games, meaning Williams should continue to start.

Coach Byron Scott said Tuesday that he plans to keep D'Angelo Russell on the bench for the next five to 10 games, meaning Williams should continue to enjoy an extended run as a starter in the Lakers backcourt, Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Analysis:

Moreover, Scott told ESPN Los Angeles' Baxter Holmes that he envisions playing Russell approximately 20-to-25 minutes per game, a scenario that played out when Williams replaced the rookie in the starting lineup in Monday's loss to the Raptors. With Russell receiving 21 minutes in that contest as a member of the second unit, Williams saw 31 minutes in the backcourt alongside Jordan Clarkson, finishing with 15 points (5-11 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT) and three rebounds. Though that allotment of playing time was about five minutes more than Williams' average for the season (26.1 minutes per game), because he was forced to log more time with ball-dominant players in Clarkson and Kobe Bryant, Williams didn't see much of an uptick in volume. Williams will have to adjust to life as a third option with the starting five compared to his usual role as the alpha dog of the second unit, but he's still expected to remain a stable source of points, threes, and free-throw efficiency regardless of how he's deployed.