D’Angelo Russell’s time with the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t end well and he is much happier now on the Brooklyn Nets. In his press conference after a 99-95 loss to the New York Knicks at Barclays Center, Russell was asked if he’s now more comfortable under Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez and had an interesting response.
“I’ll never take being able to play free basketball like this for granted again,” Russell said. “This is style and a play that — obviously we got the best performance team as well. They keep guys fresh, they keep guys in shape. They keep them prepared for the minutes and the load that they’re about to play in.
“So for me, my body is not prepared for this,” Russell added. “I didn’t prepare for this all season, all summer, so it’s an adjustment for me as well. My body’s adjusting as well. So like I said, just keep listening to the training staff. They’re putting me in the best position to adjust mid-season and not be vulnerable out there as well.”
Fernandez is a hard taskmaster and while Russell needs time to get used to his methods, he is delighted about getting to play free basketball now. You can’t help but think that’s a bit of a shot at the Lakers and their head coach JJ Redick.
Redick routinely pulled Russell from games when he made a mistake on the court and even took him out of the starting lineup. The one-time All-Star was on a short leash and that’s not the case anymore.
Russell is also no longer under intense scrutiny, as he was with the Lakers. He was blasted on social media whenever he had a bad game and, unfortunately, he had one too many of them this season. The 28-year-old averaged just 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game for the Lakers in 2024-25.
Russell’s struggles made him the scapegoat whenever the Lakers lost and that wouldn’t have been a pleasant experience. When the fans expect to win all the time there’s a lot of pressure on you as a player. If the team is underperforming and you don’t play well, you’re going to get blamed. Russell just didn’t seem comfortable in that environment.
With the Nets, meanwhile, the expectations are on the floor. The loss to the Knicks dropped them to 14-30 on the season and they’re very much in rebuild mode.
Russell is not going to come under fire for not playing well and he had his best game in this second stint with the Nets against the Knicks. He finished with 23 points (6-17 FG), two rebounds, 10 assists, one steal, and three blocks and would be hoping this is a sign of things to come.
D’Angelo Russell Shared His Thoughts On His Second Stint With The Lakers
Russell’s second stint with the Lakers, who had initially drafted him with the second pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, got off to a promising start in 2023 but things eventually went south. When asked to share his thoughts on it, Russell stated it was a blur and that he was ready to move on.
“Just a blur. I think coming in I was locked into what I had to achieve personally to be there. To not be there now is something that you try to get over and try to move past but that is a place that I’ve been to twice, there’s a home for me there. For myself, I feel like it’s a part of my career that you can’t take back. I appreciate it, but I’m looking forward to moving on.”
That is the right approach. It’s a pity that things didn’t work out but Russell can’t waste time dwelling on it. He needs to focus on the present and the future, especially as he is going to be a free agent in the summer.
Russell will be in action next when the Nets take on the Phoenix Suns at Barclays Center on Wednesday at 7:30 PM ET.
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