Nets' D'Angelo Russell makes 'traumatized' admission about time with Lakers
Today at 11:11 AM
Despite D’Angelo Russell nursing an ankle injury currently, it has been an interesting season to say the least for the veteran point guard as he was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Brooklyn Nets earlier in the year. While Russell reportedly wants to stay with the Nets beyond this season, he would double down on those sentiments while talking about his true feelings towards his previous location.
With Russell back in Brooklyn for the first time since his two seasons there from 2017 to 2019, he’s now coming back from his second time with Los Angeles. In an interview with HoopsHype, Russell would be candid in saying how “traumatized” he was with the Lakers and explains his situation.
“It's great,” Russell said when asked about returning to Brooklyn. “I would never take it for granted, coming from where I came from. Obviously, I was a little traumatized there. To be here and get the opportunity to just be me where there's familiarity as well is just icing on the cake. I'm at the point in my career where I'm not going out and scoring 25 points every night and wowing with numbers. It's a point where I'm trying to gravitate towards doing it the right way, and how I can contribute to winning is my priority. He (Coach Fernandez) lets me do that. He trusts me already, so I can imagine getting to training camp for something like that and having that under my belt with the guys. I think the sky's the limit.”
D’Angelo Russell on what aspect the Nets prioritize over other teams
Russell had missed an extended amount of games due to the injured ankle, but has still found some clarity in his time with the Nets compared to other spots. In what seems to be another comment about Los Angeles and the two other teams he’s been on, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors, he would also say that Brooklyn focuses on the team being a “priority.”
“Team. I've been on so many different teams where the team's not a priority,” Russell said via HoopsHype. “To be here, the team is everything from every aspect you can think of. It's team-oriented. As a team, we win. As a team, we lose. To be engraved into that and just fit in is a good feeling.”
So far this season with both Brooklyn and Los Angeles, Russell has been averaging 13 points, 5.1 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 31.9 percent from beyond the arc. The numbers have been boosted slightly with the Nets since he’s around a younger team, serving as a main veteran presence.
He would even say to HoopsHype that he would 100 percent be open about returning to Brooklyn, which could shock some within the basketball world since the team appears far from contention.
“Yeah. Why wouldn't I? I keep seeing stuff coming out. I'll tell you. Heck yeah,” Russell said about staying with Brooklyn. “I want to be wherever I'm at. I'm here. I love these guys. I appreciate this, and I would love to be back.”
At any rate, after the Nets’ loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, they are 22-43 which puts them 13th in the Western Conference before the matchup against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.
The post Nets’ D’Angelo Russell makes ‘traumatized’ admission about time with Lakers appeared first on ClutchPoints.
