The D'Angelo Russell Thread

[Calinks]

Warriors forward Draymond Green is one of the best quotes in the NBA. He speaks his mind and tells you like it is.

So when he was asked about D'Angelo Russell's defense after practice Wednesday, Green didn't exactly sugarcoat things.

"Watching him in practice yesterday, I told him, 'Oh you showed me you can defend. I didn't know you could. So that's the expectation now,'" the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year told reporters. "It's interesting because you just never know what's been asked of someone. You can easily judge a situation and say, 'Oh man, he hasn't really defended much,' or, 'He's not that good on the defensive end.' But if he's never been asked to defend, it's kind of hard to make that judgment. Obviously, we're going to ask him to defend. Yesterday, he was asked to defend and he showed that he can. I told him that'll be the expectation moving forward. Sorry, buddy, you showed it."

The 23-year-old will be under the microscope this season, but Draymond made sure to keep things in perspective.

"We don't expect him to go out there and be Patrick Beverley or Kawhi Leonard," the three-time NBA champion added. "That's just not who you are (laughing). Just go out and be competitive on that side of the ball."

https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/draymond-green-pokes-fun-dangelo-russells-defense-offers-insight

Again thinking back to Smitch. These AAU coaches are trash, nobody is interested in teaching defense to talented players. I really do think that a lot of these AAU, middle school, etc coaches are slacking and players just don't know how to be good defenders anymore, the more I see of this current and new generation, the more I believe this.

[jpatrick]

What’s frustrating is they even if he doesn’t have the strength or lateral quickness to truly be an upper tier 1-on-1 defender, with his size and BBIQ, he should be a very good team defender.

Didn’t someone post that the Wolves actually believe he’s guard 2s better than 1s. I just assumed the comment was leaked to make sure if someone is trading up for Ball, they do it with us. Maybe not, maybe Rosas believes a Ball/Russell backcourt will work. I don’t think I’d take that gamble, but maybe.

[NebWolvesFan]

What’s frustrating is they even if he doesn’t have the strength or lateral quickness to truly be an upper tier 1-on-1 defender, with his size and BBIQ, he should be a very good team defender.

Didn’t someone post that the Wolves actually believe he’s guard 2s better than 1s. I just assumed the comment was leaked to make sure if someone is trading up for Ball, they do it with us. Maybe not, maybe Rosas believes a Ball/Russell backcourt will work. I don’t think I’d take that gamble, but maybe.

Russell's best defensive season was his last year in Brooklyn when he was on a veteran team battling for the playoffs. Last year, he played with a lot of G League guys and started for the teams picking 1 and 2 in the draft. I think as Minnesota improves (hopefully), he will improve defensively. We saw in the Heat game when things got close late, he made solid defensive plays.

[Killboard]

What’s frustrating is they even if he doesn’t have the strength or lateral quickness to truly be an upper tier 1-on-1 defender, with his size and BBIQ, he should be a very good team defender.

Didn’t someone post that the Wolves actually believe he’s guard 2s better than 1s. I just assumed the comment was leaked to make sure if someone is trading up for Ball, they do it with us. Maybe not, maybe Rosas believes a Ball/Russell backcourt will work. I don’t think I’d take that gamble, but maybe.

Russell's best defensive season was his last year in Brooklyn when he was on a veteran team battling for the playoffs. Last year, he played with a lot of G League guys and started for the teams picking 1 and 2 in the draft. I think as Minnesota improves (hopefully), he will improve defensively. We saw in the Heat game when things got close late, he made solid defensive plays.

I wouldn't be harsh on DLo's lonely month with the wolves. Defense is based on team effort and chemistry. That month the wolves played an undrafted rookie C, went through a complete roster turnover, and of played on of the youngest cores in the league. I wouldn't be surprised if offense was the main topic in video sessions and practices.

He is not going to be one of the top defenders in the league, but with his offensive skill he has more than enough to cover it up. He also did this:

Read on Twitter

[IceManBK1]

hope dlo is refining all aspects of his game this summer. not just working on his 3 point game. he could use improvements on finishing inside the paint over contact; his post game; and midrange. it's his 5th yr? i want to see his overall fg% increase to 44-45% this yr. he needs to be more efficient if we're gonna make the playoffs.

[minimus]

hope dlo is refining all aspects of his game this summer. not just working on his 3 point game. he could use improvements on finishing inside the paint over contact; his post game; and midrange. it's his 5th yr? i want to see his overall fg% increase to 44-45% this yr. he needs to be more efficient if we're gonna make the playoffs.

Are you BRK fan?

[moonpie]

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

[KGdaBom]

Russell got his career high against us. 52 but the Warriors lost anyway.

[KGdaBom]

Wonder how last season would have worked out if we had started it with Russell?

[shangrila]

Wonder how last season would have worked out if we had started it with Russell?

Probably not all that different honestly.

Our issues went beyond 1-2 players. The majority of the roster simply wasn't suited to run the offence that we wanted to.

[KGdaBom]

Wonder how last season would have worked out if we had started it with Russell?

Probably not all that different honestly.

Our issues went beyond 1-2 players. The majority of the roster simply wasn't suited to run the offence that we wanted to.

We will never know, but I think it would have worked out a lot different. KAT probably doesn't get injured. Team gets to gel with Russell from the very beginning.

[Klomp]

Wonder how last season would have worked out if we had started it with Russell?

Probably not all that different honestly.

Our issues went beyond 1-2 players. The majority of the roster simply wasn't suited to run the offence that we wanted to.

Well we probably don't get Russell without first doing the Covington trade. So really we would've had the right personnel, or at least much closer to what we wanted.

[Killboard]

Wonder how last season would have worked out if we had started it with Russell?

Probably not all that different honestly.

Our issues went beyond 1-2 players. The majority of the roster simply wasn't suited to run the offence that we wanted to.

We will never know, but I think it would have worked out a lot different. KAT probably doesn't get injured. Team gets to gel with Russell from the very beginning.

It's likely the same roster that ended up, but with a full preseason and healthy KAT is a 40 win team. Add the 1st pick or whatever we got in return and the expectations should be fight for a playoff spot up to the end of the season.

[shangrila]

Probably not all that different honestly.

Our issues went beyond 1-2 players. The majority of the roster simply wasn't suited to run the offence that we wanted to.

We will never know, but I think it would have worked out a lot different. KAT probably doesn't get injured. Team gets to gel with Russell from the very beginning.

It's likely the same roster that ended up, but with a full preseason and healthy KAT is a 40 win team. Add the 1st pick or whatever we got in return and the expectations should be fight for a playoff spot up to the end of the season.

I think some of you have forgotten what this early roster looked like. If all we did was swap DLo and Wiggins we'd still have had guys like Graham, Vonleh and early season Culver getting major minutes. In a 3pt heavy system that's not a recipe for success.

Nor is "gelling" a worthwhile point either since we'd still have likely turned over the rest of the roster, so the only players that would apply to would be the ones who remained i.e. KAT, DLo, Okogie and Culver. Everyone else was either brand new or didn't get a ton of minutes (or were worth minutes like early season JMac and Martin).

It could have been more entertaining I guess, but honestly Wiggins had his moments this past season so maybe not.

[KGdaBom]

We will never know, but I think it would have worked out a lot different. KAT probably doesn't get injured. Team gets to gel with Russell from the very beginning.

It's likely the same roster that ended up, but with a full preseason and healthy KAT is a 40 win team. Add the 1st pick or whatever we got in return and the expectations should be fight for a playoff spot up to the end of the season.

I think some of you have forgotten what this early roster looked like. If all we did was swap DLo and Wiggins we'd still have had guys like Graham, Vonleh and early season Culver getting major minutes. In a 3pt heavy system that's not a recipe for success.

Nor is "gelling" a worthwhile point either since we'd still have likely turned over the rest of the roster, so the only players that would apply to would be the ones who remained i.e. KAT, DLo, Okogie and Culver. Everyone else was either brand new or didn't get a ton of minutes (or were worth minutes like early season JMac and Martin).

It could have been more entertaining I guess, but honestly Wiggins had his moments this past season so maybe not.

As for the gelling I'm only referring to gelling with the core pieces that we kept. I also believe that if D'Lo came early there would have been a butterfly effect and KAT wouldn't have had the first significant injuries of his career. I'm not even saying we would have won a lot more games I'm just talking about how different things would have been in general. Maybe butterfly effect again Culver would have developed better with Russell here.

[shangrila]

It's likely the same roster that ended up, but with a full preseason and healthy KAT is a 40 win team. Add the 1st pick or whatever we got in return and the expectations should be fight for a playoff spot up to the end of the season.

I think some of you have forgotten what this early roster looked like. If all we did was swap DLo and Wiggins we'd still have had guys like Graham, Vonleh and early season Culver getting major minutes. In a 3pt heavy system that's not a recipe for success.

Nor is "gelling" a worthwhile point either since we'd still have likely turned over the rest of the roster, so the only players that would apply to would be the ones who remained i.e. KAT, DLo, Okogie and Culver. Everyone else was either brand new or didn't get a ton of minutes (or were worth minutes like early season JMac and Martin).

It could have been more entertaining I guess, but honestly Wiggins had his moments this past season so maybe not.

As for the gelling I'm only referring to gelling with the core pieces that we kept. I also believe that if D'Lo came early there would have been a butterfly effect and KAT wouldn't have had the first significant injuries of his career. I'm not even saying we would have won a lot more games I'm just talking about how different things would have been in general. Maybe butterfly effect again Culver would have developed better with Russell here.

No offence but I don't see how Russell impacts an injury unless you think he secretly practices voodoo or something. That was more likely to be the big minutes he played under Thibs catching up to him.

[KGdaBom]

I think some of you have forgotten what this early roster looked like. If all we did was swap DLo and Wiggins we'd still have had guys like Graham, Vonleh and early season Culver getting major minutes. In a 3pt heavy system that's not a recipe for success.

Nor is "gelling" a worthwhile point either since we'd still have likely turned over the rest of the roster, so the only players that would apply to would be the ones who remained i.e. KAT, DLo, Okogie and Culver. Everyone else was either brand new or didn't get a ton of minutes (or were worth minutes like early season JMac and Martin).

It could have been more entertaining I guess, but honestly Wiggins had his moments this past season so maybe not.

As for the gelling I'm only referring to gelling with the core pieces that we kept. I also believe that if D'Lo came early there would have been a butterfly effect and KAT wouldn't have had the first significant injuries of his career. I'm not even saying we would have won a lot more games I'm just talking about how different things would have been in general. Maybe butterfly effect again Culver would have developed better with Russell here.

No offence but I don't see how Russell impacts an injury unless you think he secretly practices voodoo or something. That was more likely to be the big minutes he played under Thibs catching up to him.

Butterfly effect. KAT ends up being in a different place and doesn't get injured. The play he gets injured on doesn't happen. Sure he could have been injured on another play, but that wasn't his history at all. It's a very likely possibility that if Russell was around KAT doesn't get injured.

[Shaka_Zulu]

Awesome interview (despite DLO squatting like a bum ):

Watch on YouTube

[Jedzz]

Wonder how last season would have worked out if we had started it with Russell?

Probably not all that different honestly.

Our issues went beyond 1-2 players. The majority of the roster simply wasn't suited to run the offence that we wanted to.

Well we probably don't get Russell without first doing the Covington trade. So really we would've had the right personnel, or at least much closer to what we wanted.

I honestly don't know why they waited until the trade deadline to move Covington. He was well rumored to be on his way somewhere as soon as the prior season ended. But I suppose all those moves that ended up happening took time and the other teams maybe weren't ready. What a year of changeover nevertheless under Rosas. From the first months straight on through the deadline. Wondering if they settle down now or not.

[shangrila]

Probably not all that different honestly.

Our issues went beyond 1-2 players. The majority of the roster simply wasn't suited to run the offence that we wanted to.

Well we probably don't get Russell without first doing the Covington trade. So really we would've had the right personnel, or at least much closer to what we wanted.

I honestly don't know why they waited until the trade deadline to move Covington. He was well rumored to be on his way somewhere as soon as the prior season ended. But I suppose all those moves that ended up happening took time and the other teams maybe weren't ready. What a year of changeover nevertheless under Rosas. From the first months straight on through the deadline. Wondering if they settle down now or not.

I doubt it.

I wouldn't get attached to anyone on this roster outside of KAT and DLo.