The D'Angelo Russell Thread

[fattymcgee]

Russell probably wants it only at his current dollar amount. And I don't really blame him.

Yeah, I understand his interest. But he has been playing really badly last 30 games and trajectory is descending...

There is significant risk for Dlo right now. He is slumping very hard. If he gets hurt this is the last impression he made in a contract year. Maybe he signs 1 for 20 to 2 for 42 to get some job security. I would still sign that, despite his play. If Tyus is worth 15, Dlo is worth 20.

For this team I'd easily take Tyus over D'Lo, especially with the $$$ savings.

[TimberKat]

Yeah, I understand his interest. But he has been playing really badly last 30 games and trajectory is descending...

There is significant risk for Dlo right now. He is slumping very hard. If he gets hurt this is the last impression he made in a contract year. Maybe he signs 1 for 20 to 2 for 42 to get some job security. I would still sign that, despite his play. If Tyus is worth 15, Dlo is worth 20.

Personally, I view those dollar amounts as his floor. As you said, Russell is better than Tyus. So why should he sign today for what is essentially his floor? Even with a season-long injury, his amount wouldn't drop that much farther than that, so there's not much incentive for him in terms of finances.

Is the DLo of the last 20 games the one we will get in the future? I take Tyus over him.

[winforlose]

Yeah, I understand his interest. But he has been playing really badly last 30 games and trajectory is descending...

There is significant risk for Dlo right now. He is slumping very hard. If he gets hurt this is the last impression he made in a contract year. Maybe he signs 1 for 20 to 2 for 42 to get some job security. I would still sign that, despite his play. If Tyus is worth 15, Dlo is worth 20.

Personally, I view those dollar amounts as his floor. As you said, Russell is better than Tyus. So why should he sign today for what is essentially his floor? Even with a season-long injury, his amount wouldn't drop that much farther than that, so there's not much incentive for him in terms of finances.

Pretend Dlo tears an ACL after the worst start to a season since his rookie contract (maybe even rookie year.) Now he has to rehab in the summer without a teams resources behind him, and prove he can come back strong by next December/January. What are the odds people pay him 20 to do so? He would likely be on a cheap prove it deal. Worse still, his next deal would be hanging on that initial return period and the months that follow. A one year discount deal to reflect how badly he has been playing would probably be a gift at this point. His lack of defense is unacceptable enough it might cost him his starting spot. That is of course before we even talk about his offensive woes.

[BlacJacMac]

Russell probably wants it only at his current dollar amount. And I don't really blame him.

Yeah, I understand his interest. But he has been playing really badly last 30 games and trajectory is descending...

There is significant risk for Dlo right now. He is slumping very hard. If he gets hurt this is the last impression he made in a contract year. Maybe he signs 1 for 20 to 2 for 42 to get some job security. I would still sign that, despite his play. If Tyus is worth 15, Dlo is worth 20.

I've noticed you mention possible injury concerns quite a bit when discussing contracts. I get the idea of the security, but I really don't think Pro Athletes are as concerned with potential injury as we like to think they are.

Or, more simply, I can't think of many times where guys take substantially less today on shorter deals as "injury insurance".

[winforlose]

Yeah, I understand his interest. But he has been playing really badly last 30 games and trajectory is descending...

There is significant risk for Dlo right now. He is slumping very hard. If he gets hurt this is the last impression he made in a contract year. Maybe he signs 1 for 20 to 2 for 42 to get some job security. I would still sign that, despite his play. If Tyus is worth 15, Dlo is worth 20.

I've noticed you mention possible injury concerns quite a bit when discussing contracts. I get the idea of the security, but I really don't think Pro Athletes are as concerned with potential injury as we like to think they are.

Or, more simply, I can't think of many times where guys take substantially less today on shorter deals as "injury insurance".

Ask John Wall about that.

[Klomp]

There is significant risk for Dlo right now. He is slumping very hard. If he gets hurt this is the last impression he made in a contract year. Maybe he signs 1 for 20 to 2 for 42 to get some job security. I would still sign that, despite his play. If Tyus is worth 15, Dlo is worth 20.

I've noticed you mention possible injury concerns quite a bit when discussing contracts. I get the idea of the security, but I really don't think Pro Athletes are as concerned with potential injury as we like to think they are.

Or, more simply, I can't think of many times where guys take substantially less today on shorter deals as "injury insurance".

Ask John Wall about that.

Ask him about what? When did he ever sign a contract for a significant pay cut because he was scared about a possible injury? His injury issues came after signing a 4/$170M deal, not a 1/$21M deal. Slight difference.

[BlacJacMac]

There is significant risk for Dlo right now. He is slumping very hard. If he gets hurt this is the last impression he made in a contract year. Maybe he signs 1 for 20 to 2 for 42 to get some job security. I would still sign that, despite his play. If Tyus is worth 15, Dlo is worth 20.

I've noticed you mention possible injury concerns quite a bit when discussing contracts. I get the idea of the security, but I really don't think Pro Athletes are as concerned with potential injury as we like to think they are.

Or, more simply, I can't think of many times where guys take substantially less today on shorter deals as "injury insurance".

Ask John Wall about that.

Houston is literally paying him 41M to not play for them this year. And he signed for the Tax Payers MLE to join a legit contender.

It's a 1 year deal with a 1 year team option. That's not taking a security contract, its taking the best deal he was offered to join a contender.

[winforlose]

I've noticed you mention possible injury concerns quite a bit when discussing contracts. I get the idea of the security, but I really don't think Pro Athletes are as concerned with potential injury as we like to think they are.

Or, more simply, I can't think of many times where guys take substantially less today on shorter deals as "injury insurance".

Ask John Wall about that.

Ask him about what? When did he ever sign a contract for a significant pay cut because he was scared about a possible injury? His injury issues came after signing a 4/$170M deal, not a 1/$21M deal. Slight difference.

My bad, I misread that. I was talking about prove it deals. Regarding your point about why would Dlo take less now, the issue is he has been awful. If his stock continues to fall and he doesn’t have a chance to bring it back up that could cost him a lot more than he stands to sacrifice. If his agent believes his max is 27. Well, how much is the take home from that 6 million? With agent fees, taxes, ect… maybe he surrenders 3 million. But, if he continues to play badly and then gets hurt, his earnings might fall by a lot more. I get that Dlo likes that max status, but like Wiggins he didn’t live up to it. Now it is about assessing his current value and calculating risk. Again, injury is a big part of that. I believe it is the biggest reason why keeps talking about wanting a deal now.

[younggunsmn]

Ask John Wall about that.

Ask him about what? When did he ever sign a contract for a significant pay cut because he was scared about a possible injury? His injury issues came after signing a 4/$170M deal, not a 1/$21M deal. Slight difference.

My bad, I misread that. I was talking about prove it deals. Regarding your point about why would Dlo take less now, the issue is he has been awful. If his stock continues to fall and he doesn’t have a chance to bring it back up that could cost him a lot more than he stands to sacrifice. If his agent believes his max is 27. Well, how much is the take home from that 6 million? With agent fees, taxes, ect… maybe he surrenders 3 million. But, if he continues to play badly and then gets hurt, his earnings might fall by a lot more. I get that Dlo likes that max status, but like Wiggins he didn’t live up to it. Now it is about assessing his current value and calculating risk. Again, injury is a big part of that. I believe it is the biggest reason why keeps talking about wanting a deal now.

I'd be much more worried about performance than injury if I were Russell. He is playing his way right out of the league.
He's not even worth the MLE and he will be out of the league within 2 years if he keeps playing like he has.

[minimus]

I feel like we would be better with PG who can execute, installing some kind of offensive structure, rather than creative PG such as DLo.

[TwolvesFanRome]

Last mentionable match: play in vs LAC.

It is too much.

[Krapinsky]

I'd trade him for Westbrook at this point. At least Westbrook will rebound for us.

[Mykhyn]

Dlo for Kyrie irving is the target IMO

Nets did great with Dlo and kyrie has no real suiters and is a headache.

Wolves get a higher end talent and have the right pieces to fit around him

[KATKlownFeet]

Also it makes no sense, but I believe that DLo is our worst PG in like 20 years. Although there was a stretch of games when Rubio, Bjelica, Wiggins, Towns played good basketball the year when LaVine got injured.

FIFY. You're welcome!

[KATKlownFeet]

Yeah, I understand his interest. But he has been playing really badly last 30 games and trajectory is descending...

There is significant risk for Dlo right now. He is slumping very hard. If he gets hurt this is the last impression he made in a contract year. Maybe he signs 1 for 20 to 2 for 42 to get some job security. I would still sign that, despite his play. If Tyus is worth 15, Dlo is worth 20.

Personally, I view those dollar amounts as his floor. As you said, Russell is better than Tyus. So why should he sign today for what is essentially his floor? Even with a season-long injury, his amount wouldn't drop that much farther than that, so there's not much incentive for him in terms of finances.

In what world is DLO worth anywhere close to the numbers you are throwing out. He is arguably the worst starting point guard in the league. I wouldn't even waste a roster spot on that cancer.

[TimberKat]

Anyone has a theory why DLo is doing so bad this year? I guess it started in last year's playoff? He is still young. I don't think he had significant injury? Maybe just move him to SG so he can focus more in scoring?

[floppymoose]

He was bad over in GS. I watched him some in his all-star Nets year and he wasn't really good then either. To me, last season was the anomaly, not this season. If you could get some draft capital back for Towns+DLo, I would do that. I realize no one is giving you anything for DLo by himself.

[TimberKat]

How about let DLo be DLo? He is a good shooting guard (or combo guard) off the bench similar Jordan Clarkson. Maybe we package Nowell + Reid to get a starting point guard?

Even an ideal version of what DLo can be isn't what this team needs.

A shoot first, mid-range heavy, middling efficiency, no-defence combo guard is not what the team needs. Maybe, and I stress maybe, that would be useful if Edwards wasn't here. But he is so Russell isn't needed.

Exactly what I was thinking when I saw “let DLo be DLo”.

Let DLo be DLo? Play no defense, too slow to get by anyone on offense, can’t consistently get to the cup and thus finish at the cup. The DLo who shys away from contact so he takes fade away shots from 8 ft? Most of the time hitting the front iron. The DLo who hasn’t figured out how to throw a lob pass to, well, pretty much anyone since he’s been here?

DLo is trash a nobody. He’s the guy, that if he was on someone else’s team, we’d say he only scored 30 because he played the wolves. That nobody who suddenly has one good game against us.

I was proud of him last season, he showed up to play defense even if his offense was inconsistent. Well that pride I had for him is gone, it went to LA.

He will be around until the deadline and then be shipped as an expiring. The only way to get value out of that is to take on a longer or longer contracts. Hopefully Hayward, he’s serviceable.

Moving the "Let DLo be DLo" conversation here:

Seems like everyone is so down on him and no question he sucked so far. Can we make it work besides trading him?
Agree he has become a duplicate of Edwards (or Edwards is a better version of DLo with same passing, D, and shot selection issues). However, where were the critics when we traded for him? Seems most people liked the trade. I was only in favor of the trade thinking it was GSW gave us a 1st round pick (not the other way around).

To his defense, ESPN has a good article today https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35032595/the-timberwolves-big-experiment-anthony-edwards-place-it which basically saying the entire team sucked. Is he becoming the goat like Westbrook (not to be confused with the GOAT)?

[shrink]

DLo has been bad, but I definitely think he gets scapegoated for all the Wolves failings.

For the first two years, nobody would dare say anything bad about the popular Anthony Edwards, not the fans or the media. We all love him. I think Ant has looked unhappy sometimes this year because this is the first time he has faced any public scrutiny, after his Instagram issue and people talking about his poor start. Russell lives that every day, starting from Day One with the Lakers.

To be fair, I was pleasantly surprised how he doesn’t seem to let this affect him, and he actually seemed excited this summer for the upcoming year, even without an extension. I don’t think he is a good leader, and I don’t think he is very good about knowing how to get his teammates involved. But hopefully this new experience with Gobert will eventually improve his game and his reputation.

[minimus]

Dane Moore mentioned one stat about DLo: Russell is NBA bottom 2 in rim attempts (among starting PG). I remember that he tried to attack the rim more in first games of the season. This low drives frequency explains some our struggles, and it is part of our problems with balance in offense. I wonder if Nowell can be successful in this role of slasher at PG position.