Playing as a point guard in the NBA is arguably the most difficult thing. Apart from the player being involved in most plays, the competition to be recognized as a good PG is also a tough task.
One such example is the case of Minnesota Timberwolves star D’Angelo Russell. The one-time NBA All-Star is still just 25-years-old and is playing at an elite level for the Timberwolves.
But before finding some stability in the league, Russell bounced around the league. Moreover, he has previously played for top-notch franchises. The only thing common between them is the fact that he was traded by each of them.
Yes, we are talking about his stints with the Lakers, Nets, and Warriors. Getting traded is not a new thing in the league, but for a player of D’Lo’s caliber being moved around the league is quite surprising.
On that note, have you ever wondered if the Timberwolves star ever holds it against the aforementioned franchises for trading him? Well, he revealed his thoughts on it about a year ago. Russell revealed that he doesn’t hold it against the Nets or the Warriors, but it is a different case for the purple and gold.
“Hell yeah sh*t, only LA because Magic kicked me in my a** on the way out. And I was just, I didn’t understand that, I was just, you know kind of young and naive to why and like what was the point. But I mean it is what it is and that’s another thing I just couldn’t control. But I understood the business side of the league man. Once you have that title on you there’s no getting it off. You just kind of got to create a new headline for them to forget what that headline was in the past and it was what it was.”
(starts at 2:45)
D’Lo had a forgettable time with the Lakers as he never looked comfortable while playing for them. On top of that, the way that Magic Johnson treated him didn’t make it any better.
It seems like Magic never had any faith in Russell and as a result, he was offloaded from the Lakers. Well, it turned out to be a decision that helped Russell in maturing as a player and also improving his skill set.
The only thing that fans will hope is that he gets back into his All-Star form and can help bring an NBA Championship to the city of Minnesota.
