The Golden State Warriors are hoping for an All-Star caliber season from D’Angelo Russell.
Summer of 2019 was a rough one for the Golden State Warriors. After losing many key players, D’Angelo Russell stands as the diamond in the rough for Golden State.
With Kevin Durant gone and Klay Thompson sidelined, the Dubs are going to need someone to step up. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green can be trusted to carry a heavy load, but Russell can make their jobs much easier.
D-Lo is a gifted playmaker. Creating out of the pick and roll is easy for Russell as he ranked towards the top of the league in points per possession for this type of play. In fact, only Kemba Walker ranked higher.
Averaging a career-high 7.0 assists last season, Russell provides a much needed talent for the Dubs. With his ability to generate offense, Russell will allow Curry to play off of the ball and benefit from screens.
If all goes well, Russell will set Curry up frequently. Finding a way to get Curry open looks with Russell handling the ball is going to be an important task for the Dubs. Seeing as how Curry is one of the greatest catch-and-shoot players in league history, maximizing these opportunities is a good idea.
The Warriors will be looking for more than just playmaking. Hopefully, Russell will take another step forward as a scorer and shooter as well. By doing this, the floor will be spread for the rest of the team to attack.
Putting up 21.1 points per game last season, D-Lo finally began to look potent offensively. Crafty floaters and mid-range jumpshots we’re his deadliest weapons. Expanding his range a little bit, D-Lo is close to being an elite scorer.
Reaching the All-Star team in the Western Conference is tough. It will truly take a strong season from Russell for him to earn the nod. If he can put everything together and have a positive impact for the Warriors, he very well may end up in his second All-Star Game this season.