26-year-old D’Angelo Russell hasn’t spent more than three seasons for any single team in his career. In fact, over the past 7 seasons, Russell has switched jerseys three times already, and he could be headed for a fourth.
In a mock draft from The Ringer, it is revealed that Minnesota is currently shopping D’Lo, which could lead to the team picking Tyty Washington Jr. in the draft.
D’Angelo Russell is being shopped around, so it makes sense for the Timberwolves to target a shot-creator with this selection. TyTy and Karl-Anthony Towns could make for a lethal pick-and-roll pairing, and with Anthony Edwards resembling a superstar in the playoffs (and in Hustle) Minnesota would be equipped with a dynamic offense. Whatever Russell would return in a trade could only bolster their roster even more.
As close friends, Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns seem to be really enjoying playing together. Unfortunately, it hasn’t brought much success so far and the front office finds themselves re-considering the star duo.
The future of another prominent lefty lead guard in the West is much more uncertain after Minnesota’s first-round exit. D’Angelo Russell wound up on the bench at crunch time in the Timberwolves’ season-ending Game 6 defeat at home to Memphis and averaged just 12.0 points per game on 33.3% shooting in his second career playoff series. Numerous rival teams expect the Wolves to try to trade Russell this offseason irrespective of Russell’s close relationship with Minnesota star Karl-Anthony Towns. Russell, 26, has one season left on his contract at $31.4 million.
The Timberwolves lost in the first round of the playoffs against a young and inexperienced Grizzlies team. Despite solid play from Towns, Russell, and Anthony Edwards, they couldn’t take the series.
But with the right move, they could position themselves to be a major player in the West — if not now, then in a few years when Edwards reaches his peak. Either way, D’Angelo Russell’s long-term future with the team is no longer a guarantee.
