The D'Angelo Russell Thread

[FinnTheHuman]

Imo DLo's been reading my posts where I trash him for being an awful floor general and not controlling the pace, and he decided to change my mind. Because from the start of our winning streak, he just decided to be selfless and set plays up for the team, taking care of the ball, not taking gimmicky shots, passing well, attacking the rim more often etc. Even when his shot isn't falling, you can feel that our offense is in good shape with him on the floor. And in this Portland win he's done the same. He's really making me a believer all of a sudden. Defensively, he's thrice the player he was.

The real issue is what to do about his contract. I would ask him to take a pay cut to about 25mil a year or even 22.5mil a year so we can get more talent in. When Ant eventually needs a max it is going to make things tight. Dlo is not shooting well this season and his primary function is a shooting. Also worth noting he has missed at least 5 games this season and will probably miss more before all is said and done. From his perspective that won’t be a reason for a pay cut, but from our perspective it is a reason to need a solid backup behind him, and that costs money.

I wonder what the market will look like for DLo. I kinda doubt that any team will have cap space to outbid us if we offer him something in the low 20's. But the way he's been defending and running the offense this season, we might make the playoffs with him as this advanced stats darling that he's definitely been this season, his agent and some teams might get into his ear and he might start asking for a S&T or smth if we don't offer him a near max or max. I think we need to see how this season is gonna play out before deciding what to do.

[shangrila]

If he can get his %s back up and still play like he has otherwise, I'd be fine paying him the max.

[winforlose]

If he can get his %s back up and still play like he has otherwise, I'd be fine paying him the max.

Dlo said that in a contract year he had to play his best. I worry that once he gets another max he might regress. Paying him less hedges that bet and gives us more money to build a winner. That said, is it worth losing him over the difference? That is a tough one.

[shrink]

I thought you DLo fans would be happy to know that Russell has scored the third most points in the clutch this year. He’s in good company

1. Embiid
2. Tatum
3. Russell
4. Durant
5. LaVine
6. Anthony Davis
7. Chris Paul.

Anthony Edwards is 50th, and Towns did not make the top 50.

https://www.nba.com/stats/players/clutch-traditional/?sort=PTS&dir=-1&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&PerMode=Totals

[m2002brian]

He’s good to have for those moments. Nice to see Ant crack that too 50, hopefully he keeps improving in that area. No surprise about towns, he’s the opposite of clutch in end game situations.


Other guys on the block & in the top 50..
Brogdon
Sabonis
Heild

I’d love to have Sabonis and one of the other 2. All basketball smart guys.

[King Malta]

Read on Twitter

I'm sure you could do the same with other teams without any real depth at the guard position.

DLo is the only person beside Edwards that can create his own shot and look for others.

Oh 100%, the post wasn't nessecarily to proclaim DLo as the messiah, more so to refer to the clear issues we have when he's not on the court.

Whilst I feel like his play has been much improved this season, our ineptitude without him is more of a reflection of the composition of the roster really.

[minimus]

I thought you DLo fans would be happy to know that Russell has scored the third most points in the clutch this year. He’s in good company

1. Embiid
2. Tatum
3. Russell
4. Durant
5. LaVine
6. Anthony Davis
7. Chris Paul.

Anthony Edwards is 50th, and Towns did not make the top 50.

https://www.nba.com/stats/players/clutch-traditional/?sort=PTS&dir=-1&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&PerMode=Totals

I appreciate this post coming from you, anti DLo fan

[life_saver]

Read on Twitter

I'm sure you could do the same with other teams without any real depth at the guard position.

DLo is the only person beside Edwards that can create his own shot and look for others.

Oh 100%, the post wasn't nessecarily to proclaim DLo as the messiah, more so to refer to the clear issues we have when he's not on the court.

Whilst I feel like his play has been much improved this season, our ineptitude without him is more of a reflection of the composition of the roster really.

just highlights the lack of reliable ball handlers on the team that can also be a scoring threat.

[Devilzsidewalk]

I'd be pretty worried about extending Russell the max. He's really never been close to a max player at any point while with us. That's top 30 player money. He's not close to a top 30 player. Of course he makes the team way better, but that's compared to McLaughlin and Bolmaro. You'd probably have those same win/loss discrepancy stats if it was Dennis Schroder instead of D'Lo, who I consider comparable players.

[FinnTheHuman]

I'd be pretty worried about extending Russell the max. He's really never been close to a max player at any point while with us. That's top 30 player money. He's not close to a top 30 player. Of course he makes the team way better, but that's compared to McLaughlin and Bolmaro. You'd probably have those same win/loss discrepancy stats if it was Dennis Schroder instead of D'Lo, who I consider comparable players.

2 things:
1. Max is not reserved for top 30, max is probably worth it if you're a top 50 player, according to some advanced calculations by some really smart posters on realgm. And it makes sense to me, because being a top 50 player means that you're a 2nd best player on around the 17th to 24th worst team and some of those teams are playin teams, so it is still max worthy imo.

2. DLo is a top 50 player, and imo this season, his level of play puts him easily into top 35 if not around 25th spot in my mind.

His defense is much above average, it looks like he's just needed time to reach that level, and I mean it makes sense that he's had this defensive ceiling in him because he's pretty big for a guard, and he's got quick feet and long arms, all that was missing was understanding what to do and effort.

And his offense is amazingly great despite poor shooting, he really makes our offense come together this year, while KAT and Ant are not really having that 'connective tissue' quality to their offense. I really didn't expect DLo to pull this off but he has.

I've been a big big DLo hater, I kept saying we'd be better off with him as a 6th man, I kept saying that even ~10 games into this season, but boy has he proven me wrong.

So yeah, if he doesn't get the max, it's gonna be because of his previous seasons, but based on this season alone, I think he's actually a max player.

[LAL1947]

I'd be pretty worried about extending Russell the max. He's really never been close to a max player at any point while with us. That's top 30 player money. He's not close to a top 30 player. Of course he makes the team way better, but that's compared to McLaughlin and Bolmaro. You'd probably have those same win/loss discrepancy stats if it was Dennis Schroder instead of D'Lo, who I consider comparable players.

Sign D'lo to a $20m contract, sign Schroeder to a $10-12m contract. Problem solved.

[minimus]

I'd be pretty worried about extending Russell the max. He's really never been close to a max player at any point while with us. That's top 30 player money. He's not close to a top 30 player. Of course he makes the team way better, but that's compared to McLaughlin and Bolmaro. You'd probably have those same win/loss discrepancy stats if it was Dennis Schroder instead of D'Lo, who I consider comparable players.

Sign D'lo to a $20m contract, sign Schroeder to a $10-12m contract. Problem solved.

Schröder has been awful. I rather lock Beverley to 20/2 extension

[Andrew McCeltic]

Schroder is nothing like DLo but he hasn't been awful. Wrong skillset for Boston's mix of players, but he's the reason we've won at least four or five games.

[minimus]

Schroder is nothing like DLo but he hasn't been awful. Wrong skillset for Boston's mix of players, but he's the reason we've won at least four or five games.

There is a reason why he plays for 6mil.

[Andrew McCeltic]

Because he turned down 4/84 and needs to fire his agent. He could be making 16-19 million a year easy, he didn’t just turn down that deal, all the buzz was that they went into free agency with unrealistic demands and his market disappeared. Absolute trash take on your part.

[minimus]

Because he turned down 4/84 and needs to fire his agent. He could be making 16-19 million a year easy, he didn’t just turn down that deal, all the buzz was that they went into free agency with unrealistic demands and his market disappeared. Absolute trash take on your part.

If he had taken that 4/84 deal he would be another overpaid player. He is full MLE player at the moment. He could not grab starting PG job in BOS, I doubt he is more than backup PG. Sure, he could make 16-19 mil in rebuilding team, but I don't see any young team in NBA which are going to overpay him. As PG he doesn't make other players better, he is a bad defender.

P.S. You remind me that BOS fans, who trashed me for saying that Teague is not NBA level backup player. Live your dream, mate.

[Andrew McCeltic]

Because he turned down 4/84 and needs to fire his agent. He could be making 16-19 million a year easy, he didn’t just turn down that deal, all the buzz was that they went into free agency with unrealistic demands and his market disappeared. Absolute trash take on your part.

If he had taken that 4/84 deal he would be another overpaid player. He is full MLE player at the moment. He could not grab starting PG job in BOS, I doubt he is more than backup PG. Sure, he could make 16-19 mil in rebuilding team, but I don't see any young team in NBA which are going to overpay him. As PG he doesn't make other players better, he is a bad defender.

P.S. You remind me that BOS fans, who trashed me for saying that Teague is not NBA level backup player. Live your dream, mate.

I guess you’re right, I’ll trust a Minnesota fan on which players are overpaid or shouldn’t be in the league

[King Malta]

Nice of Dennis' mum to make an appearance on the Wolves forum

[minimus]

Because he turned down 4/84 and needs to fire his agent. He could be making 16-19 million a year easy, he didn’t just turn down that deal, all the buzz was that they went into free agency with unrealistic demands and his market disappeared. Absolute trash take on your part.

If he had taken that 4/84 deal he would be another overpaid player. He is full MLE player at the moment. He could not grab starting PG job in BOS, I doubt he is more than backup PG. Sure, he could make 16-19 mil in rebuilding team, but I don't see any young team in NBA which are going to overpay him. As PG he doesn't make other players better, he is a bad defender.

P.S. You remind me that BOS fans, who trashed me for saying that Teague is not NBA level backup player. Live your dream, mate.

I guess you’re right, I’ll trust a Minnesota fan on which players are overpaid or shouldn’t be in the league

Based on current situation I wouldn't trust BOS fan either.

[life_saver]

Brutal series so far for DLo