Brooklyn Nets point guard D'Angelo Russell is still awaiting the contract extension of his rookie contract, and while he is unlikely to receive it before the start of the season, he has already taken the steps to merit it.
Nets general manager Sean Marks said the Ohio State product has worked “extremely hard” on his body and the state of his health after a bothersome knee injury that caused him to undergo surgery last season, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
Russell shined early in the season, averaging close to 20 points per game, but his rousing start came to a halt after the team's first 13 games when he missed the next 32 outings and struggled to regain the same flow.
The shifty lefty will need to put on a show early and often if he hopes to garner that big contract like draftmate Devin Booker earned earlier this summer, a five-year, $158 million extension with the Phoenix Suns.
Russell was previously lauded by newcomer Jared Dudley as one of the “cornerstones” of this team, along with center Jarrett Allen. The latter has proven to be a solid shot-blocking presence in the middle of the paint, but his rebounding must improve in order for the Nets to be competitive.
The general goal is for the Nets to make strides toward closing out games, having lost 15 of them by a single-digit margin during the 2017-18 season.
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