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Gary Payton puts Lakers’ leadership role on D’Angelo Russell

The brash confidence represented a key part of Gary Payton’s personality. It also partly explained how the Hall of Famer became a defensive specialist, landed nine NBA All-Star appearances and won one NBA championship.

So it hardly sounded surprising to hear Payton’s blunt take on the Lakers heading into Wednesday’s season opener against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center. After rattling off second-year guard D’Angelo Russell, third-year forward Julius Randle and rookie forward Brandon Ingram as the team’s “core,” Payton quickly zeroed in who should become the Lakers’ leader.

“The one that has to do it is D’Angelo,” said Payton, an NBA analyst for Fox Sports 1.