5 former Warriors who would’ve turned Golden State into contenders this season

2. D’Angelo Russell

Fans may not even remember D-Lo’s stint with the Dubs. They acquired him from Brooklyn in the Kevin Durant sign-and-trade and sent him packing after just 33 games. Golden State got Andrew Wiggins and the first-round draft pick that turned into Jonathan Kuminga in a swap that was just too good to pass up.

Russell put up massive numbers in the Bay Area, but the team struggled mightily. Stephen Curry played just four games with D-Lo and Klay Thompson missed that entire season. Golden State was 8-25 in the contests Russell played. He has his drawbacks, especially on the defensive end, but the former All-Star is hitting his stride in LA.

Would the Warriors be better with D’Angelo Russell replacing Chris Paul this season? He would provide a bit more size and scoring punch. D-Lo can handle starter’s minutes at this stage in his career and get hot enough to sway a couple of contests. CP3 is not playing elite defense at 38 years old, so finding a way to reacquire Russell may have provided a boost.

D’Angelo Russell was a free agent in the summer of 2023 and was rumored to be available before the trade deadline. The Golden State Warriors had multiple opportunities in recent years to bring him back but had little interest. He is not the player the franchise wants back most, though.