Warriors: D’Angelo Russell speaks on short stint with team

D’Angelo Russell’s stint with the Golden State Warriors ended very quickly, and the guard recently shed light on his takeaways from the experience.

When D’Angelo Russell was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets last season, it was clear to everyone that the All-Star guard would not be a permanent addition to the Golden State Warriors.

Whether Russell was going to be with the Warriors for a week, a month, or a year, he was going to get traded at one point or another.

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Russell’s all-around fit in Golden State was the most significant question mark from the beginning. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson already occupied the team’s backcourt, and it was a safe bet that neither of them was headed anywhere anytime soon.

Still, with Thompson likely out for the entire year, the Warriors experimented with a Russell/Curry backcourt before Curry suffered a broken hand and missed extensive time.

All in all, Russell lasted 33 games before being moved to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Andrew Wiggins, a 2021 protected first-round pick, and a 2021 second-round pick.

Although his tenure with the team was rather short, Russell had nothing but positive things to say about his time as a Warrior recently on his Instagram Live.

"“It was dope man… The culture that they had over there, you see why they win. You see why they had the success that they had. They just do it right. It was dope; I enjoyed the whole experience.”"

Some very high praise from a player who only played 33 games with the team, which also showcased the amount of class Russell has.

At just 23-years-old, Russell’s trade from the Warriors sent him to his fourth NBA team in five years, but the young guard showed the team nothing but love.

Despite the team’s overall struggles due to being plagued by injuries, Russell thrived individually throughout his time with the Warriors.

The guard averaged a career-best 23.6 points with the team, also having shot career-highs in two-point percentage at 48.7 percent and three-point percentage at 37.4 percent.

Although the world will never see the three-headed monster that is Curry, Thompson, and Russell in full effect, the trade is essentially a win-win for both parties.

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Russell now gets to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves with longtime friend Karl-Anthony Towns, and the Warriors get a former first overall pick to fill their vacant small forward position left by Kevin Durant.

While his tenure with the team lasted a mere 33 games, D’Angelo Russell’s name is undoubtedly one that many fans are going to remember for a very long time.

In a season to forget, Russell provided some memorable performances and embraced the challenge of leading this team every single night he stepped on the court.

Still, having a career year or not, trading Russell was undoubtedly the right move for the Golden State Warriors. Not to diminish Russell, he was arguably playing at an All-Star level this season in its entirety, but as previously stated, the fit was likely never going to work.

With the situations both parties now find themselves in, things are going to be just fine.

Next time Russell steps foot in the Chase Center, an array of cheers should undoubtedly follow because although his time was short, it was beyond memorable.