Earlier this NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers traded D’Angelo Russell, along with Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks, to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. While Russell has refrained from criticizing the Lakers since the deal, JJ Redick expects a motivated performance from the 28-year-old guard when the two teams square off on Friday.
“I expect him to come out and try to have a great game,” Redick said during a press conference. “He’s going to go against his old team. He’s going to be ready to play us and it’s going to be a fun one. So it’ll be fun to see D’Lo again.”
Having coached Russell during their time together in Los Angeles, Redick is familiar with the guard’s mentality. “He does not have a lack of competitiveness. He takes a lot of pride in who he is as a player,” the coach continued. “I’m expecting him to try to go at us tomorrow.”
Despite Russell’s determination to prove himself against his former team, he faces a significant challenge. The Brooklyn Nets, sitting at a 14-27 record halfway through the 2024-25 season, have struggled to find consistency. Currently ranked 12th in the Eastern Conference, the Nets are far from playoff contention, making Russell’s individual performance even more critical as he seeks to ignite his new team.
Russell’s season struggles and the Lakers’ decision
The Lakers’ decision to trade Russell came after a series of underwhelming performances. Despite starting in the lineup, the 28-year-old quickly fell out of favor with Redick, eventually losing his place in the rotation.
In 29 games with Los Angeles, Russell averaged just 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game—numbers that fell short of expectations for a team with championship aspirations.
Russell’s rough start in Brooklyn
Russell’s stint with the Nets has not been much smoother. Since his arrival, Brooklyn has posted a 2-7 record, with Russell playing in just four of those games. In those four appearances, the Nets are 2-2, suggesting that while Russell has made a modest impact, his presence hasn’t been enough to turn the team’s fortunes around.
His individual stats in Brooklyn are nearly identical to those he posted in Los Angeles earlier this season: 12.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. However, he has shown improvement in one area—his assists, now averaging 8.3 per game, a noticeable uptick from his time with the Lakers.
As the Nets struggle to find their rhythm, Russell will look to make a statement against his former team, aiming to prove that the Lakers’ decision to trade him was a mistake.