Blue Man Hoop
Fansided

Golden State Warriors: Kerr says Dubs will “desperately” need D-Lo

By Nathan Beighle

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 7: D'Angelo Russell #1 of the Golden State Warriors is seen during the game during Day 3 of the 2019 Las Vegas Summer League on July 7, 2019 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 7: D'Angelo Russell #1 of the Golden State Warriors is seen during the game during Day 3 of the 2019 Las Vegas Summer League on July 7, 2019 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

There’s no denying that this season will be different than the past five for the Golden State Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors are already preparing for next season, and when asked, head coach Steve Kerr made a bold statement about D’Angelo Russell’s addition, saying the team “desperately” needs the young guard.

“I’m excited to coach him, he’s a great young talent,” Kerr told reporters in Vegas, per NBC Sports. “I think he’s going to fit right in with our group and we’re gonna need him desperately, without Klay especially.”

This specific quote is telling.

Kerr and the team already has the mindset that Russell is going to fit right in. It may be finally time to kill the Russell trade rumors. Then again, a monster offer would be hard to deny if you’re the Golden State Warriors.

To be fair, there’s nothing really saying the opposite. Curry has dealt with a superstar like Kevin Durant before, so adding Russell shouldn’t throw a curve ball at them. If anything, it may give Curry an increase of touches from the last few years.

That said, the positives of adding Russell are clear and easy to see, but they may not be as simple to develop and intertwine with the current stars as many may think.

“We need D’Angelo’s scoring, and it’s up to us as a staff to figure out how best to use him and shape the team, shape the offense and we’ll figure it out,” Kerr added.

Last season, the 23-year-old earned his first All-Star appearance. Scoring 21.1 points per game, Russell is a scoring machine. However, they’ll have to refine his game and make him more of an all-around playmaker.

Russell also depended on himself for much of his offense last season, seeing under 16% of his two-point field goals and under 55% of his three-point field goals assisted on. With Draymond Green, Russell may have to get used to being the beneficiary of good offense, not the creator.

dark. Next. Top 25 Golden State Warriors in franchise history

Those are the types of kinks the Warriors coaching staff may have to figure out, but I’m confident they’ll get it right, just like they did with Kevin Durant a few seasons ago.

Home/Warriors News