Much has been made about D’Angelo Russell’s move to the Timberwolves. In the midst of excitement and curiosity, there have also been a lot of questions. Why would the Warriors trade Russell just months after signing him?
He’s an All-Star caliber point guard who’s just 23-years-old — they don’t exactly grow on trees.
The answer may not lie in D’Lo’s performance more-so than it lies in his game.
In an interview with The Athletic, Lacob explained why his team traded Russell and what it means for both sides moving forward.
“Anybody who can’t see that this is a great deal for us, I don’t know what they’re thinking,” Lacob said, per Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. “You can sit and talk about what his salary is, but (Wiggins) had the same salary as D-Lo. They’re both good players. They’re different players. You can question whether this is a better fit; we think it is, as much as I liked D-Lo. He’s a really good player. And I think it’s good for him, too. So it’s a fair, good thing for both teams.”
Steph and Klay make up a dynamic backcourt that already has history and chemistry together. Upon their return, nobody really knows how Russell would have fit into that.
As a young, athletic wing, Wiggins fits the mold of the team much better. For Russell, he’ll likely mesh more in Minnesota, with Karl-Anthony Towns, much better than he could have in Golden State.
There’s no hard feelings, but Russell’s time with the Warriors was probably always just a temporary situation.
