D'Angelo Russell Discussion: Adopting A Professional Attitude

I have no allegiance to Brooklyn, obviously!

I think Kyrie/D-Lo in Brooklyn is a good combo and a decent bet to happen.
I can't see why KD would go to Brooklyn. But what do I know about KD?

I don't know what the Woj tweet is you're referring to. I'm in baseball/football mindset right now

 

Because Crabbe was overpaid and wouldn’t play in Brooklyn. I know you didn’t follow the team, but that was literally the first thing everyone said at season’s end: get rid of Crabbe.

You don’t owe me an apology or anything. I don’t care if Russ is in Brooklyn, and I don’t like Kyrie. I’m not broken up about any of these developments.

 

So...if we strike out on all the free agents and trades, and Kyrie/KD end up in Brooklyn, do we crawl back to D'Lo and beg him to take us back?

Sign D'Lo.
Sign Cousins to a one year deal.
Draft Garland.

Cousins/Wagner
Lebron/Kuzma
Ingram/Kuzma
D'Lo/Hart
Lonzo/Garland

Honestly, that team wouldn't make me mad. I'd enjoy rooting for that team.

 

Right, Vasashi, but this is from three weeks ago:

http://nothinbutnets.com/2019/05/15/brooklyn-nets-moving-allen-crabbe/

And here's one from the day he exercised his option, more than a month ago:
https://wfan.radio.com/articles/nets-allen-crabbe-exercises-185-million-option

The Nets already have a lot of young talent, ages for next season: Russ (23), Allen (21), RHJ (25), LeVert (25), Pinson (24), Musa (20), Kurucs (21). They added basically the same player, but two years younger, making $15M less, so they moved a pick for $15m and earned a second rounder in the process.I trust Brooklyn's scouting department of late, too.

a. I think you HAVE to go after KD and Kyrie if you think you have a chance at them. (Honestly, I don't think they have a shot at both.)

b. And if you don't get one, you might get the other (KI more likely). With Russ and that core, it's a good team - maybe a third seed.
Irving/Russ/LeVert/Kurucs/Allen
Dinwiddie/Pinson/Harris/Prince/Davis
---They could use another big, but that's what they're targeting in the draft.

c. And if you lose both, you bring back Russell, let the other young guys develop, and see what you can add that will actually contribute.
Russ/Prince/LeVert/Kurucs/Allen
(Gotta add a big in FA.)

d. And if Russ goes elsewhere, you have to wonder what Brooklyn was thinking. Unless they believe Dinwiddie/LeVert/Allen is the trio to make it happen. I'm doubtful.

 

Nah; he's joining the Lakers.

 

Boston's age of players starting 30+ games: 20, 26, 24, 29, 32.

Brooklyn's age of those starting 30+: 22, 20, 27, 20.

Brooklyn's a younger team, and I think it's more promising outside healthy Hayward.

 

I think that's a good comparison. Not "not enough" for a 3 seed in the east, but definitely not enough to beat the best in the east.

 

No. We should if it came to that, but no, we won’t. The Lakers don’t make mistakes, they certainly don’t admit to any, so going back and begging a player of such low caliber as D-Lo would be beneath them, they’d never do it. More important, no way Russ comes back to the Lakers, he’s seen that mess up close, he got dumped by them, he saw them then go on to dump Randle, then offer to dump the entire young core for AD. If I’m him I’d go to friggin Phoenix before coming back here.

 

I just want to stress - moving Crabbe (not buying him out) was the plan since during the season. So the move changes literally nothing. It's a sunk cost, in terms of the plan. Why wouldn't Kyrie want more cap room rather than a middle first round pick? And why wouldn't the Nets make this move? Even if it's Kyrie and Russ, there's room to add a big - which is something they've been reported to be interested in doing. Not enough bigs in the Philly series. Davis was hurt, so when Allen was off the court, they were brutal.

 

I don't know, man. What stats?

Beal and Russ are very different players. When Beal was 22, he averaged 17-3-3. His best season was 5.5 dimes. Russ just averaged 21-7 dimes and 4 boards.

Russ is a high usage PG. Beal is a SG.

Beal's best VORP is 3.7, at age 25. Russ just posted a 3.3, better than any season Beal had until this year.

Russ's BPM this year was better than any of Beal's seasons.

It's not at all obvious, once you compare their stats.

 

Rumors the Pacers and Magic are interested in Russell.

I don't like Russell and Kyrie together too much, at least for Russell's sake.
But...

Pacers puts Russ with Oladipo and Sabonis, which I love. Oladipo is the ultimate "change your lifetsyle" player in the last few years, could really push Russ to the next level. And Sabonis may have his chance to start. I'd love to see those guys on the court together.

Magic are, for better or worse, my hometown team now. So, I'd be able to see Russ play easily if I wanted to.