The Golden State Warriors are counting on D’Angelo Russell’s development.
D’Angelo Russell will be a pivotal member of the Golden State Warriors moving forward. The outcome of his career can have a direct impact on the direction of the franchise through the next decade.
The Dubs have a number of options regarding Russell. If the Dubs feel he isn’t the correct fit for the team, he can be traded with ease. Russell is one of the league’s brightest young stars and would undoubtedly bring in a great haul of assets.
For the sake of this article, let’s assume the Warriors are going to stay true to their word and keep Russell for the foreseeable future. If this is the case, what is Rusell’s ceiling?
At 23 years of age, the sky is the limit for D-Lo. He has been a late bloomer, spending a few lackluster seasons in LA before becoming an All-Star with the Brooklyn Nets. He went from outcast to breakout star in his fourth season and was nominated for the Most Improved Player Award.
Now in Golden State, Russell is averaging a career-high in points for the second straight season. He is looking even more deadly with the ball in his hands, looking to score more than ever before. He has already exploded for a career-best 52 points this season.
Russell is being tasked to carry the offense, something he has never been asked to do before. Though he was the primary ball-handler in Brooklyn, he had a strong supporting cast surrounding him. Since Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are sidelined, Russell is the team’s best playmaker and scorer.
He has risen to this challenge nicely. He is scoring 23.1 points per game since Curry’s injury and has hit a number of clutch shots to keep the Warriors alive in close games.
Sadly, the consistency is not yet there for D-Lo. He has had to games in which he scored single-digits and is averaging nearly 4 turnovers a game.
This should be expected from such a young star. Russell has plenty of time to grow and will have his role reduced once Curry and Thompson return. This will benefit his development as playing alongside the greatest backcourt duo in NBA history is sure to teach him a few things.
At his peak, Russell will be a deadly combination of playmaking and scoring. He has great vision and is improving as a shooter in each season. He won’t be the face of the franchise unless he can manage some consistency, but he is certainly showing some strong potential.