As we’ve detailed before, the Timberwolves put on the full-court press in their efforts to recruit D’Angelo Russell during the 2019 free agent period, but the Warriors‘ maximum-salary offer and the opportunity to play alongside Stephen Curry ultimately swayed Russell to Golden State. Discussing that decision with Leo Sepkowitz of Bleacher Report, Russell made it sound as if it didn’t take him long to choose the Dubs once his agent called him to inform him of the max offer.
“I’m like, ‘Why the f–k is you on the phone with me?!'” Russell said. “‘Tell them yes!'”
Of course, his first year in the Bay Area hasn’t played out like he’d hoped, with Curry joining Klay Thompson on the long-term injury list and the Warriors plummeting to the bottom of the Western Conference.
Russell has been linked to the Wolves again as of late, with Minnesota reportedly intensifying its efforts to trade for him. While a deal seems unlikely to happen before the deadline, D-Lo acknowledged that this has been something of a lost season for the Warriors, who are essentially evaluating their roster for 2020/21.
“This whole year is kind of a test of seeing what’s gonna fit, what’s gonna make sense for next year,” Russell told Sepkowitz. “It’s them kind of sitting back, seeing who I am as a teammate and a player, what I bring to the table.”
Here’s more out of the Pacific:
- Warriors guard Jacob Evans has been diagnosed with a concussion and a broken nose after taking an elbow to the face on Tuesday, the club announced (Twitter link). It’s not clear how much time Evans will miss, but he’s currently in the NBA’s concussion protocol and will wear a protective mask when he returns, according to the Warriors.
- The Kings passed on Luka Doncic in the 2018 draft due to concerns about his fit alongside De’Aaron Fox, a decision that some fans in Sacramento have had a hard time moving past, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. According to Amick, former Kings coach Dave Joerger passive-aggressively joked to GM Vlade Divac midway through last season that he’d negotiated a trade with the Mavericks to land Doncic, to which Divac shot back: “Do I get their coach, too?”
- In an interesting piece for ESPN.com, Kevin Arnovitz explores how the perception of Lakers head coach Frank Vogel has changed over the last several months. When Vogel was hired in the spring, he was viewed as a Plan C whose hiring was proof of the franchise’s dysfunction. However, he has helped right the ship in L.A., leading the team to a 33-8 first-half record.
Well, what could’ve been isn’t going to help us win now. The question should be what’s next, since we are not going to any playoffs again !! Back to the Lottery AGAIN. Yes, we have had injuries, but so has everyone else, and even a couple of players have stated injuries is no excuse. So what are the issues : No defense, the big men don’t rebound, no one pushes the ball to the basket and tries to collect fouls. All they want to do is shoot 3s. Hield, though he gis getting his points has a low shooting %, Barnes, Ariza, Bjelica are too inconsistent, and we have a huge need for a backup Center that can score and rebound. No back up SG w/ Bogi out. Divac can see this but doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to make any moves to correct the problem and why are we the ONLY team that seems to have to wait til the Trade Deadline to make a move. Trade Ariza, Dedmon and Giles and get something that can help us out now, not later. Two teams have stated that Divac is asking for the moon when they called about Dedmon. Maybe it’s time for a new GM. No playoffs since 2004.
That was easy then, get rid of Fox, I mean if he was the reason, Doncic is sooo much better than Fox will ever be. Bagley is gonna be very good, but… mistakes like not picking Luka are just not possible to overcome.
lol Vlade Divac is a joke
Vogel surprisingly hired Jason Kidd for his staff; some (not me) said he had to, to get hired. But Lebron did not get his favorites hired– not Kidd or Lue for HC, nor Carmello or Tristan. Vogel quote:
“I can’t have four video guys on my staff.
The right complement for me has always been a respected former player who has coaching experience. But you can’t have the mindset that you’re going to look over your shoulder — you need firepower on staff.”