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Picturing D’Angelo Russell’s long-term fit with the Warriors

By Tony Pesta

NEW ORLEANS, LA -OCTOBER 28: D'Angelo Russell #0 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 28, 2019 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA -OCTOBER 28: D'Angelo Russell #0 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 28, 2019 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors are still figuring out if D’Angelo Russell belongs long-term or not.

D’Angelo Russell was brought to the Golden State Warriors via a sign-and-trade that helped the franchise quickly recover from losing their two-time Finals MVP, Kevin Durant.

Russell’s fit with the team is questionable. However, the potential of pairing a 23-year old All-Star next to Stephen Curry felt too great to pass up for the Dubs.

Sadly, the two only managed to appear in four games together before Curry broke his hand and Russell suffered an ankle injury.

In these four games, Curry and Russell showed flashes of greatness. Though they got off to a rough start, they combined for a powerful 50 points and 19 assists against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Since then, Russell has filled in briefly as the Warriors sole star in the wake of numerous injuries. He had his best game of the season in a loss versus the San Antonio Spurs. Here, D-Lo scored 30 points and dished out 8 dimes.

As we await Russell to recover from his ankle sprain, this is a good time to question his long-term fit with the team.

Up until last season, Russell had appeared to be a missed opportunity of a prospect. He struggled in his first two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers as his leadership was constantly brought into question.

By the time he found a new home in Brooklyn, Russell had been ruled out as a potential star. Of course, he proved everyone wrong last season by averaging 21.0 points and 7.1 assists per game and reaching the All-Star game.

Now, Russell is being challenged. The Warriors are hoping to make him the face of their franchise once Curry’s prime comes to an end. Will Russell be worthy of carrying the torch?

This season will be a great chance for us to see what D-Lo is made of. With all of these injuries plaguing the roster, Russell has a chance to step up and be the hero. A dominant showing here can solidify him as a Dub for the future.

If Russell succeeds, he will have the entire Warriors fanbase supporting him. Within a few years, Russell will likely stand as the Dubs sole leader as Curry is entering his mid-30s.

Assuming D-Lo proves he can be a cornerstone moving forward, the franchise should actively look to surround him with help. Perhaps they can aim big and one-day land budding superstar and friend of Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns in free agency.

Russell’s talent as a playmaker makes him an easy piece to build around. He can form chemistry with a number of different stars and is on the verge of being an elite scorer. Russell could find himself producing big-time numbers soon.

In contrast, Russell could fail miserably this year. A rough season might be all it takes for the Warriors to decide on trading D-Lo away. In this case, the franchise would hope to either land another star or some draft picks.

The Warriors can go in two very drastic directions within the next year and Russell’s fate will have a direct impact on the Dubs. In many ways, Golden State is teetering between a potential dynasty or being a lottery team for the next few seasons.

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A smooth transition from the old era to the new is the Warriors’ goal. D-Lo is the middle man here, capable of producing in both generations for the franchise. Only time will tell if Russell can successfully help the Warriors move into a new dynasty.

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