With one click of a button, Lakers rookie point guard D’Angelo Russell made an impassioned fan base more upset than anything regarding his Summer League play.

Russell suggested in a tweet nearly two weeks ago that Tracy McGrady is the greatest player of all time. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and his legions of fans expressed their disapproval over Russell’s since-deleted tweet, though Russell said Bryant “was cool” about the incident.

“There’s a lot of spoiled Lakers fans. I wasn’t downgrading Kobe at all,” Russell said Saturday in an interview with the Los Angeles News Group. “I was just watching a highlight tape of Tracy McGrady and I got excited. I tweeted and the whole state of California went crazy.”

At least some of the Lakers’ fan base has simmered down.

Russell signed autographs and took pictures with Lakers fans on Saturday at The Grove, where he made a promotional appearance for Birchbox, which gave him a box of the company’s fragrance and skin-care products. Russell hopes to hear cheers when he throws out the first pitch for the Dodgers-Giants game on Monday night at Dodger Stadium.

But after spending the past month completing morning workouts and pickup scrimmages at the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo, Russell sounded eager for his workload to grow. Among the first items to check off: Russell wants to meet both with Bryant and the recently retired Steve Nash.

“I’m trying to figure out their mentality with each practice and each game. How do they manage to be around the game for so long and be successful?” said Russell, whom the Lakers selected second overall out of Ohio State in this year’s draft. “I want to learn how to stick around this league. I don’t think there’s a cheat code to it. But the sooner you find it out, the better you’ll be.”

Russell could find out in about a month, when the Lakers begin training camp. Then, Russell will have his first chance to rectify his Las Vegas Summer League performance. As the Lakers went 1-4 during that stretch, Russell averaged 11.8 points on 37.7 percent shooting and had more turnovers (3.5) than assists (3.2). But Russell suggested what happened in Vegas will stay in Vegas.

“A lot of guys translate it over when it’s time, and a lot of guys don’t,” Russell said about Summer League. “I just want to be one of those guys that bring it when it matters.”

After finishing last season with the worst record in franchise history, the Lakers have few outside expectations to make the NBA playoffs amid concerns about Bryant’s durability and the team’s failure to land a marquee free agent. But Russell headlines the Lakers’ long-term rebuilding project amid intrigue surrounding his playmaking.

“I tried to keep guys involved as much as possible,” Russell said about his Summer League play. “A lot of guys need you to create for them. You have to pick and choose when to create for yourself. So I tried to mix it up.”

Russell also downplayed his turnovers and shooting percentage, believing that both of those numbers will improve once he becomes more familiar with his teammates.

“If I miss 20 in a row and coach tells me to keep shooting, that’s what I’m going to do. That’s what got me here,” said Russell, who averaged 19.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and five assists while shooting 41 percent from three-point range during his freshman season with the Buckeyes. “I was forced to do a lot for my team in doing a lot of extraordinary things. People weren’t expecting it. But I made something happen out of nothing.”

Can Russell do the same thing with the Lakers? Coach Byron Scott has not assured Russell yet of the starting point guard position. But instead of worrying about that, Russell has narrowed his focus to two things.

First, Russell has received the memo about Scott’s conditioning-heavy practices.

“Coach Scott does a great job of getting the guys running and getting them in shape,” Russell said. “So I’m trying to do that the best way I can.”

Second, Russell dismissed any concerns about Scott’s Princeton-based offense, which relies on a heavy playbook and fewer pick-and-rolls than more traditional offenses.

“Coach Scott has been real successful with his players and his system,” Russell said, mindful that Scott has coached Jason Kidd, Chris Paul and Kyrie Irving. “So I can’t question the Princeton offense. With Phil Jackson, I can’t question the triangle (offense) even if I don’t know too much about it I don’t know too much about the Princeton offense. But I’m going to trust what he has going on and go with it.”

But for now, Russell has enjoyed his free time exploring Los Angeles. He took a helicopter tour for an aerial view of the city. He attended the L.A. Special Olympics. Although he criticized his own golf game, Russell has visited various driving ranges. He sounded most passionate about paintball, a hobby he often shares with family members and friends that have moved out here with him.

“I’m trying to do a little bit of everything,” Russell said. “L.A. has so much to offer. So I want to take advantage of it.”

Soon enough, Russell also hopes to do that on the hardwood.