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Golden State Warriors will regret trading D’Angelo Russell

By Tony Pesta

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 05: D'Angelo Russell #0 of the Golden State Warriors in action against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on February 05, 2020 in New York City. 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. Brooklyn Nets defeated the Golden State Warriors 129-88. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 05: D'Angelo Russell #0 of the Golden State Warriors in action against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on February 05, 2020 in New York City. 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. Brooklyn Nets defeated the Golden State Warriors 129-88. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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D’Angelo Russell is on his way to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal the Golden State Warriors will ultimately regret.

Wow. In spite of numerous reasons to hold onto D’Angelo Russell through the trade deadline, the Golden State Warriors have pulled the trigger on a deal to ship Russell to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Andrew Wiggins.

The full trade includes Jacob Evans and Omari Spellman going to Minnesota with a 2021 first round and 2022 second-round pick being sent back to Golden State.

Warriors add: Andrew Wiggins, 2021 First Round, 2022 Second Round

Timberwolves add: D’Angelo Russell, Jacob Evans, Omari Spellman

On the surface, this trade appears to be a win-win. The Wolves finally receive a star-caliber point guard to pair with Karl-Anthony Towns in a hope to ease his frustration with the franchise’s history of losing.

Meanwhile, the Warriors fix a potential lineup problem by trading Russell for a forward in Wiggins. Golden State believes a winning culture is all the 24-year-old needs to take the next step towards becoming a star.

Wiggins began this year on fire, averaging 25.9 points on 47.8 percent shooting through the first 11 games. Since then, his numbers have dipped as the Wolves have lost 13 consecutive games. Wiggins posted a negative +/- in all but two of these matchups.

There is hope that a new environment and adjusted expectations for Wiggins can help him excel. He will be the third option in the Warriors offense once Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson return, hopefully allowing him to play with less pressure. Of course, the weight of competing for a championship will truly be the biggest test for Wiggins.

Where the Warriors really lose is jumping the gun on trading Russell. It makes no sense to trade the young star so soon into his tenure with the franchise as we have yet to even see his fit alongside Curry and Thompson.

Russell is averaging career-high numbers in back-to-back seasons and has taken noticeable leaps in terms of his ability to score in isolation. He is a gifted playmaker with a natural understanding of the game. These are things that can not be said of Wiggins.

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With a pivotal 2020 NBA Draft Lottery approaching, it’s a shame we won’t get to see what the market looks like for Russell and a top pick. The Warriors should have been more patient before dealing away a talent such as D-Lo and it could very well come back to haunt them.

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