Subscribe
Follow Us
D'Angelo Russell will hit unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career this summer. He hopes it will end with him returning to the Brooklyn Nets.
After rejoining the Nets in a midseason trade from the Los Angeles Lakers, the former All-Star sees a promising future in Brooklyn.
“A lot of teams are rebuilding, but to be here and see this team rebuilding with the pieces that they have, I think the league will be on notice. They were on notice this year,” Russell told ClutchPoints. “This group had a lot of good wins before I got here, and then when I got here, we beat a lot of good teams as well. I think just what the future holds with this group [is why I want to be back]. Obviously, what Jordi [Fernandez] and Sean [Marks] are creating, I’m familiar with it. Being somewhere familiar is something I’m definitely prioritizing.”
The Nets were one of the NBA's top surprises early this season, opening the year 9-10 before trading Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith. After acquiring Russell, they turned in a 7-2 stretch in February before being hit with several injuries and leaning into a tank.
Russell is familiar with general manager Sean Marks' ability to lead a rebuild. The former No. 2 pick was part of an improbable Brooklyn turnaround in 2018-19 that led to Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden joining Brooklyn. This time, Marks has an NBA-best 13 tradable first-round picks and $50-plus million in cap space to build a contender.
Whether Russell will be part of that equation remains to be seen.
D'Angelo Russell hopeful for Nets return as free agency looms
Russell played the best basketball of his career after the Lakers traded him to Brooklyn in 2017. He earned an All-Star nod in 2018-19 while leading the rebuilding Nets to the Eastern Conference's sixth seed. However, he's embraced a different role during his homecoming.
The 29-year-old's offensive numbers have taken a step back during the second half of the season. He's averaged a career-low 12.9 points per game while focusing on playmaking (5.6 assists per game) and serving as a veteran voice within Brooklyn's locker room.
Is he concerned about his lack of scoring production impacting his market this summer?
“Nah, I’ve focused on numbers and stats before, and it didn’t really result in what I wanted. So for me, it was like, alright, I’m gonna try to contribute something else and do it right,” Russell said. “It wasn’t really basketball-related, it was more about trying to be a vet and crossing over into that role that I know will be in the future for me. Being a vet on the younger team, putting myself in a position to be able to reiterate what the coaches are saying. Obviously, I can go out and score and try to lead the team in whatever, but that was kind of out of my mind being here this time.”
With four first-round picks in this year's draft, the Nets will have an influx of young talent next season. The importance of having veterans to show them the ropes isn't lost on the coaching staff or management.
“I think mentorship is always important,” said head coach Jordi Fernandez. “You’ve seen it from Dennis, Dorian, Cam [Johnson], D’Lo. Those guys, even though I consider them still very young and in their prime, they're able to talk to the younger guys and help them and hold them accountable when they have to. They’ve done a great job, all of those guys. Unfortunately, some of them are not here anymore.
“D’Lo’s had this role where he’s been vocal because he has experience, he’s gone through the process, he understands what we’re trying to do. He’s been very helpful for everybody else, and he’s been very good himself in his role.”
The Nets could fast-track their timeline with a star trade. They reportedly have their sights set on Giannis Antetokounmpo should the Milwaukee Bucks superstar ask out. If Russell re-signs, Brooklyn could retain him as an experienced guard alongside a star or include him in a deal.
The Nets will hold significant leverage in negotiations with their free agents this summer. They are the NBA's only team projected to have significant cap space, with $50 million-$65 million available.
