D’Angelo Russell thought he had found a new home in Golden State. But, almost just as quickly as he arrived, D’Lo departed from Dub Nation.
Thursday’s trade deadline included a blockbuster deal that sent Russell to the Timberwolves for young stud Andrew Wiggins. The trade got many wondering why, exactly, the Warriors decided to throw in the towel on Russ. One NBA executive told The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson that the Dubs were actually trying to rid themselves of D’Angelo.
“The Warriors, as much as anything with this move, gave up on Russell. Seven months after they contorted the entire franchise into a pretzel to get him, five months after he showed up to camp, the Warriors abandoned The Russell Project. They were so eager to get rid of him that they are embracing a player considered to be on one of the worst contracts in the league.”
It has not yet been revealed what, exactly, D’Angelo did to make the Warriors so keen on giving him up. Perhaps they knew he wouldn’t fit with Steph and Klay? Perhaps he was stirring up trouble in the locker room?
Whatever the case, the Warriors were willing to give up Russell, even if it meant acquiring a guy who (in many minds) is on one of the worst contracts in the league.
This season, D’Lo is averaging 23.6 points and 6.2 assists on 43% shooting.
